superniko

Any reason why Wharton can’t get a game after MOTM performance vs Watford?

lol what on earth was that free kick from Cantwell. Chip it to the corner flag

No they haven’t. We had the two clearest chances and have the higher xG (of which the Gudjohnson chance doesn’t even count for because the donkey couldn’t get a shot off). They’ve had all the possession and pass through us easily, but we’ve had the clear cut chances easily, usually from counter attack or Stoke mistakes

Point still stands - Stokes front lot are hardly prolific. Young lad on loan up front and Thomas who has scored 11 in 7 seasons etc. it’s an average league. A good coach goes a very long way in this division.

Yeah he’s been below average this season in my opinion. Himself and Hedges (who has revert to type after the first few weeks) offer zero going forward on the left hand side

Eh? Gudjohnson best chance of the game, Cantwell probably the 2nd best chance. We look easily cut open but level is probably pretty fair (Rovers bigger xG, more shots, more on target and the best chances). We don’t look like the home team though, no possession, counter attack football. Don’t really think Ismael has a clue tactically

I just don’t think there’s that much difference between the vast majority of squads in the Championship - it’s just we have an absolutely dire, clueless manager

Give it a rest with the decisions / referee - you said the same shite every match thread last season too but we weren’t getting relegated then - do you want to know the answer why, it’s because our manager was far superior and the team hadn’t been shredded to bits by Gestede and Suhail at that point.

A lot of talk about our 11 being poor - but does anyone think that PNE team looks any better? For me the fault lies with the manager, as well as the zero investment from ownership.

This is the kind of thing that might get the happy clappers on side to be honest. Hopefully Glen and the various trusts + the national side from Winter will hit this hard.

Only really one way to point the finger of blame and it’s towards those who have invested absolute shite all into our facilities for 15 years whilst being Gaslit by the likes of Waggot back then telling us “we’ve invested heavily in the pitch”. I’m annoyed but also just so fed up with Rovers these days I’m almost just shrugging my shoulders. The rule itself is just a disgrace too, it makes absolutely zero sense at all to have it the way it is. I can’t think of a single reason it’s this way bar “travel for 10 minutes” so what, just play it out at the end of the return fixture for all I care.

The rule itself just feels so bizarre. Why would the replay in any circumstance not just start from the moment it finished? This is bad enough, but if you’re 3-0 up with 5 mins to go then could you imagine having to start from scratch

I assume this is sarcasm, either that or you don’t know where Bolton is on a map edit: just seen your other post - I thought so 😄

Wrexham have spent a fortune, then I looked at their 11 today and it looked absolutely dire. Would love them to drop straight back down

Cracking result, and fully deserved, if not by a few more goals even. I thought Wharton was superb, I’d love nothing more than him and Carter to stay fit and form a great partnership. Hopefully Tronstad isn’t out for long. Nice to see Ismael over with the fans giving it the big one.

He gave the ball away countless times in that first half. Truly dreadful passing even when 5 yards away

Comms said Tronstad pointed to groin or knee I think when signalling to come off. Really can’t afford him to be out with Baradji also out and Tavares looking questionable

Hopefully Baradji ends up being that replacement

Can’t help but feel we’ll regret not burying a few more of these chances

Riberio disappointing going forward too, attacks seem to stop with him with a bad delivery / pass. I think this game sums up how average the Championship is, these lads look as bad if not worse than us

Tavares looks hopeless. Has to be goals in this, both defences look shakey at best

yeah I tend to agree I think. In which case we'd probably set-up like this... Pickford James - ??? - Guehi - ??? Anderson or Wharton - Rice Saka - Bellingham - ??? Kane Wouldn't want a natural 10 shoe-horned onto the wing like you say, so probably Gordon / Madueke (although he's usually on the right) for that spot. Lewis-Skelly for LB and then either Stones / Konsa for CB depending on fitness and form. Hoping we don't see Henderson, Gallagher, Jones, Gomes in that CM spot now. Anderson had an impact, and Wharton is worth a few goes when fit. Those two can both play forward passes which the 'Rice foil' has always struggled to do historically.

Yeah, perhaps a shift towards a format like the new champions league would benefit all (essentially nations league). Fixtures next week of Bayern v Chelsea, Liverpool v Athletico. Albeit, it wouldn't be good for the stat-padding international strikers! This was our toughest match on paper, and maybe that's why we looked so much better than against the likes of Andorra. Some proper strength in depth, and maybe this is the time we look for the best 'team' rather than the best 'individuals' - the likes of Anderson, Madueke, Rodgers looked very good.

Pickford, James, Guehi, Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Kane likely all start if fully fit, so about 4 spots up for grabs. I did like the directness and pace that Gordon and Madueke brought, felt like a step away from boring Pep-Ball that hopefully stops getting adopted. Pickford James - ??? - Guehi - ??? Bellingham - Rice Saka - Palmer - ??? Kane Maybe we shouldn't shoe-horn Bellingham and Palmer together, but it's tempting to. Obviously I'd love to see Wharton make the position his own next to Rice, but without a competitive cap yet I'm not sure we can expect it too soon. This week I was unfortunate enough to go to the Andorra match rather than the Serbia one! 😁

Yeah, can't go 10 steps in Chorley without passing some micro-bar 😁 wish it was like that when I was drinking there in my teens/20s! (granted you'd also pass a barbers and charity shop at the same time). (having said that, when we used to draw the large followings in the old days, they just stuffed themselves into Spoons). Like you say, I also noticed the club itself has started hosting a lot of away fans going to Rovers, PNE etc. They've had 1000 or so from Boro, Villa and some other clubs over the last year.