marmite

My money's on Rovers.

Strange how so many on here are applauding our new gamesmanship methods and shithousery during recent games, but many would not have wanted the master of it, one Neil Warnock , anywhere near our club.  (Tin hat on)

1 minute ago, Harry said:

I’m very sad. I counted. 
Kalas’ throw-ins last night were timed at :

30 seconds, 32 seconds, 40 seconds, 36 seconds, 29 seconds, 34 seconds. 
 

It’s a real pet-hate of mine. Not just ours, but football in general. The towel drying basically averages out a throw in to over 30 seconds. 
If you took that long to restart play without a towel, you’d be booked for time wasting. 
 

BAN THE TOWEL 

Maybe that explains the added 9 mins 

11 hours ago, Davefevs said:

…but I do think tonight and Saturday show what a bit of patience does!

We aren’t playing fantastic football at the mo’, but the talk of developing the culture (bringing in King and James in the summer) coupled with a hard line being taken with one or two yet to be named players seems to have finally began the upward trajectory.  Or at least halted the downward trend.

We aren’t gonna win every game, I’m sure we will have some stinkers at times, but Saturday and tonight become reference points / setting the bar.  When players dip in form, these games become the reminders, the little jolt - “remember how we felt when we worked our nuts off v Stoke, when we outmuscled Blackburn, etc”.  The players now know the levels.

Tonight was important for that.

Players can look at Scott and Benarous and Williams and see what taking the ball in tight spaces with confidence can give you.

O’Dowda will see that taking an early booking made his opponent makes his opponent think twice the next time he goes into a challenge.

Lots of little things to build upon.…but proof that things take time.

Last night was so much more enjoyable, despite their possession,  because we competed for every ball. Two of the things we have both complained about Dave, the cutting out of passes to their wide men, and the closing down of the wide men quicker to prevent them picking out a cross, were dealt with last night by being more competitive on and off the ball. Those things plus the added toughness and aggression ( and shithousery),  meant I could watch the last quarter of the match without fearing we were going to let it slip. 

So glad to see we have toughened up as a unit at last and it's the youngsters leading the way. I've been critical of our performances lately but credit where its due, there are real signs of progress.  

As a side issue, how much of the 9 added minutes were due to Kalas wiping the ball for every throw?  I know the ref had words with him but he still kept doing it.

25 minutes ago, wendyredredrobin said:

I wouldn't bet on a home win having completely forgotten what it feels like.

How many games and how long is it now since we last saw one?  I've run out of fingers and toes to count, I think.

We showed a few positive signs against Blackburn though, so hopefully we can build on that tonight and get a result.

If we lose again we may as well put out the girls team for the next match.

Ummm. Barnsley

Genuinely asking for a friend.  Can you buy tickets at the ground tonight , home tickets obvs. 

Sorry if I missed it but will the searches be in place for Wednesday's game?

4 hours ago, Hello Dave said:

Been saying for a long time, we should be trying to fill the ground with freebies for different groups. Hopefully the homeless, servicemen and women, and nurses etc will be next.

That's a great shout.

Loved that moment with the boot and Baker?  flattening their player right in front of the lino who didn't appear to see it. I like this aggressive approach. Long overdue, I hope it continues. We've been a meek submissive side for too long. We just have to be clever with it.

It was the crowd that dragged the team over the line in the Barnsley game.  Whoever he picks today, let's hope they can transfer what Nige sees in training , onto the matchday pitch, and give us something to cheer about rather than scream in frustration.  Playing our striker through the middle with ground passes rather than lofted balls and pressing higher up the pitch mixed with a few tough challenges will get the crowd onside. Come on lads, it's time.

41 minutes ago, Colemanballs said:

               Bentley 

Simpson Kalas Baker Pring

                  Bakinson

Semenyo      Williams       Scott

                Massengo   

                      Weimann

Press high, press hard. Play Massengo and Weimann in a position where their positional indiscipline won't be so costly. Got a feeling Atkinson won't be available, so the back 4 pretty much picks itself.

Quite like most of this but with both Simpson and Bakinson as 2 of a defensive 5, they would need to really up their game.  Be interesting with the attack though but don't think Nige will be that adventurous.

29 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

It’s not an awful squad, it’s not a great one either.  If the squad was all Nige’s, either retained / re-contracted or signed of a similar ability level, my expectation would be a well-drilled collective capable of over-achieving results because of that collective.  If that makes sense.

But it’s a disjointed bunch, even down to the age range of players.  It’s been constructed / destructed badly.

Badly constructed is very true. No matter how good your bricks are, without the mortar it will collapse. This is our team at the moment. They are mostly decent players for this level but they do not bond as a team.

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I think a lot of players “get by” through age group football on talent / skill or sometimes physicality….and then everything starts to even put as they get into senior football.  Then the brain starts to have a bearing.  Can they take on instruction?  Can they then adapt that instruction to the real-time situation in matches?  Some can’t.  I see some players looking lost on the pitch.

I sometimes wonder if many of our squad can actually read a game as it's progressing. Can they spot a potential weakness in the opposition and exploit it  or are they playing exactly to instructions with no freedom to go off plan at all. I've  noticed to many of them looking at the bench for instructions rather than playing a natural game.  Anyone who's played will know that every attack or defensive move will be different in some respects. Sometimes you have to improvise rather than follow "the plan". Our players either can't or won't.  They are so afraid of making a mistake that they continually take the safe option , and the momentum is lost. I think we are not necessarily a poor side, but we are boring and very predictable to watch.

We've played this way for a few years now. The difference now is that ALL teams know this and pressure us in the last 20 minutes.  Eleven back for a corner against us, no quick outlet, no pace, constant back passes. We are sitting ducks.

Just wish we had a bit of fight in our team to believe we could turn a game round. Just shows what can happen if you attack til the end. Fair play Rovers,  that's some comeback.

3 minutes ago, archie andrews said:

I reckon we'll be playing em next season..... 

Tin hat on matey.

2 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Based on what? They are halfway up the bottom division.

It is an enormous gulf still.

Based on which way both clubs are heading. Plus we couldn't beat an egg as things stand.

Good win for them with 10 men .  It might not be pretty but they would give us a tough game atm. Think they may be turning a corner although it pains me to say it. Local derby next season anyone?

53 minutes ago, Pezo said:

Shouldn't they though, shouldn't they constrain directors and management into particular style and strategy rather than giving them the freedom to decide our strategy on who we've just seen beat us?

Part of our problem is wanting to be Southampton then Swansea then Fulham then Brentford and a plethora of other clubs in the middle - and just being the second rate version of them.

I would like to know what we are working towards as a club - at the moment that seems to be a team that does a high press when it can.

Good post. We definitely need our own identity rather than copy the model of others.  We need to find a style and stick to it no matter who we are playing. I'm fed up seeing us change formation, players, tactics etc to counter the "strengths "of the likes of Blackpool or Barnsley or Preston etc. When we line up at home we all look at each other and ask what formation we are playing this week. It appears most games that the players don't know either! 

6 hours ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

Anyone know why it`s 12:30 on the Sunday? I don`t think it`s on Sky is it?

Because the fans, sorry customers, don't matter. 

When you need it you can always rely on laughing gas. 

6 hours ago, Hampshire reds said:

who will be in charge of the team for Blackburn. surely steve could inform the fans or have i missed something. 

The Turners coach driver is going have a go. Reckons if we park the bus between the uprights and shut the windows, that will keep Blackburn out.

Just now, VT05763 said:

That's one vote for not even putting a team out.

Been doing that most games.

25 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said:

None of us do.

What we have are a series of believable rumours hosted against a background of wild speculation and nuggets of belief and dismissal.

What I think we can all largely agree with, is that Nigel isn't at optimum levels currently, and to that we wish him well in his recovery.

Too many ITK people, good source people, speculation, and outright lies, and people who think they are NP. Think I'll be like another well known poster and wait till its on the OS!

2 minutes ago, Son of Fred said:

I've been told Nigel has ear trouble.

The players don't listen to him???