Thoughts On The First Game

[Nibor]

Bridges and Stewart were a class above today at least. Possibly 2 classes. The movement, the awareness was superb. When was the last time you saw a city forward intentionally and successfully dummy a ball? What about that lifted pass from Bridges over the full back?

The forwards' play in the first half was above and beyond what I've seen from any team in this division ever. Andy Cole wasn't a patch on them. They were "sticky". What I mean by that is that every pass on the floor that went forward to Stewart or Bridges did not get wasted, none of them bounced off, none were miscontrolled. They even made useful play out of very bad passes.

Stewart as captain was a great choice. Who else noticed he ran 30 yards back to give Cotterill a pat on the back when he came off? Noone will take more pride in the captain's armband than him. Also a friend of mine noticed that Bridges warmed down after he'd been subbed, and Cotterill did that same. I don't think I've seen them do that before, maybe picking up something from more experienced pros?

Am I exaggerating? Possibly. What counts is obviously the end product of goals which wasn't quite there but those two will make fools of every defence in this division. It was certainly for me the major positive from the game.

Negatives? Too many aimless high balls forward from both of the full backs, some scarey moments in defence (I don't think Fortune was that bad but I don't think him and Heywood are the right combination at all), and really the major one was a lack of a final ball. We look like we haven't quite decided what gameplan we have going forward. Are we playing a short passing approach game? Or width and crosses? Or direct? We need to turn the possession into chances so we can turn the chances into goals.

In midfield Cole Skuse showed the engine, the tenacity and the common sense use of the ball I'd expect to see from a player 10 years older. He's clearly one who will be a major part of our season. Smith on the left was quiet, he is not winger and really needs the full back to overlap. His dead ball play was good in patches with a couple of decent corners (I love seeing the ball whipped in at head height) and he passed and tackled well. I'd much prefer to see him with Golbourne, a few times passes out left went missing because he wasn't as wide or far forward as a winger would be expected to be. Wilkshire played well going forward in the first half but seems to have a problem with receiving the ball when he's not on the break... doesn't quite know what to do with it or release it fast enough? Cotterill was superb, beat his man alot, put in one or two good crosses (though this could use work) and went on an intriguing run which nearly ended in a great individual goal. Our midfield was fast and looked fit and competitive today but we need more accuracy in the final third.

Defensively we were OK at best I felt. Heywood won everything at or above head height but any balls that came in lower or on the floor looked to have us at sixes and sevens. He needs to play with a nippier partner who can tidy up on the ground I feel. A clean sheet is a clean sheet although we were lucky to keep it that way on one or two occasions. I felt our full backs were probably the weakest performers today, we really need them to be better outlets.

I think Wilkshire will find it hard to keep out Russell, Woodman might lose his place to Golbourne, and we may well see Smith in at right back for Huddersfield. I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see Keogh in for Fortune either.

We had alot of the play today but we didn't really have a clear cut chance (but for Skuse after a defensive error) however I think the signs were good and Donny are one of the better sides. They were well organised and looked capable of hurting us although we kept a majority of possession well. Not the result we'd all hoped for but far from the end of the world with some very good signs I think.

Nibor

[A Horse With No Name]

Bridges and Stewart were a class above today at least. Possibly 2 classes.  The movement, the awareness was superb.  When was the last time you saw a city forward intentionally and successfully dummy a ball?  What about that lifted pass from Bridges over the full back?

The forwards' play in the first half was above and beyond what I've seen from any team in this division ever.  Andy Cole wasn't a patch on them.  They were "sticky".  What I mean by that is that every pass on the floor that went forward to Stewart or Bridges did not get wasted, none of them bounced off, none were miscontrolled.  They even made useful play out of very bad passes.

Stewart as captain was a great choice.  Who else noticed he ran 30 yards back to give Cotterill a pat on the back when he came off?  Noone will take more pride in the captain's armband than him.  Also a friend of mine noticed that Bridges warmed down after he'd been subbed, and Cotterill did that same.  I don't think I've seen them do that before, maybe picking up something from more experienced pros?

Am I exaggerating?  Possibly.  What counts is obviously the end product of goals which wasn't quite there but those two will make fools of every defence in this division.  It was certainly for me the major positive from the game.

Negatives?  Too many aimless high balls forward from both of the full backs, some scarey moments in defence (I don't think Fortune was that bad but I don't think him and Heywood are the right combination at all), and really the major one was a lack of a final ball.  We look like we haven't quite decided what gameplan we have going forward.  Are we playing a short passing approach game?  Or width and crosses?  Or direct? We need to turn the possession into chances so we can turn the chances into goals.

In midfield Cole Skuse showed the engine, the tenacity and the common sense use of the ball I'd expect to see from a player 10 years older.  He's clearly one who will be a major part of our season.  Smith on the left was quiet, he is not winger and really needs the full back to overlap.  His dead ball play was good in patches with a couple of decent corners (I love seeing the ball whipped in at head height)  and he passed and tackled well.  I'd much prefer to see him with Golbourne, a few times passes out left went missing because he wasn't as wide or far forward as a winger would be expected to be.  Wilkshire played well going forward in the first half but seems to have a problem with receiving the ball when he's not on the break... doesn't quite know what to do with it or release it fast enough?  Cotterill was superb, beat his man alot, put in one or two good crosses (though this could use work) and went on an intriguing run which nearly ended in a great individual goal.  Our midfield was fast and looked fit and competitive today but we need more accuracy in the final third.

Defensively we were OK at best I felt.  Heywood won everything at or above head height but any balls that came in lower or on the floor looked to have us at sixes and sevens.  He needs to play with a nippier partner who can tidy up on the ground I feel.  A clean sheet is a clean sheet although we were lucky to keep it that way on one or two occasions.  I felt our full backs were probably the weakest performers today, we really need them to be better outlets.

I think Wilkshire will find it hard to keep out Russell, Woodman might lose his place to Golbourne, and we may well see Smith in at right back for Huddersfield.  I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see Keogh in for Fortune either. 

We had alot of the play today but we didn't really have a clear cut chance (but for Skuse after a defensive error)  however I think the signs were good and Donny are one of the better sides.  They were well organised and looked capable of hurting us although we kept a majority of possession well.  Not the result we'd all hoped for but far from the end of the world with some very good signs I think.

Nibor

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A very well thought out and accurate assessment Nibor. Agree with almost everything you say, especially Golbourne in, and Russell for Wilkshire. I was a tad disappointed with the result, but as you say Donny are one of the better sides, so maybe a point will turn out to be a good result. Remember also that the team are still getting to know one another, so need a few games to gel. Two seasons ago we won 5-0 on the opening day, and didn't get promoted, so first games of the season are not a good pointer as to how the season will pan out. We have a very difficult first 5 weeks or so, and as long as we are in touch at the end of those games , we should be ok.

[Rigoglioso]

Just to add my thoughts to todays game, I promised regardless of the result that I'd come back on this forum and give my views.

I thought you looked a very good side and created and caused Rovers a lot of problems, although at the same time we were as equally as dangerous as you were. To be honest, I wasn't overly impressed with Marcus Stewart upfront for you guys, but at the same time, I have spoken to sveral Rovers fans this evening, and some thought Stewart was poor, others thought he was good.

All in all though, it was a fair result, Rovers perhaps by the slightest of margins shaded it on chances, but for a 0-0 draw it was certainly a very exciting and interesting game. At half time I felt worried, as it was always likely that one goal would be enough to win the game, and going on the first half performance both sides looked capable of breaking the deadlock. I think it would be fair to say that both sides today looked vey strong, and if we both continue to play like how we did today, then we could both be meeting this time next year in the Championship.

On a sidenote today, I met quite a number of your fans before and after the game and they are an absolutely great bunch, and a credit to your club. I was in the Robins pub for a godd couple of hours (11 - 1.00ish) and many of your supporters seemed very pleasant and freindly.

All the best of luck for the rest of this campaign, and I hope you enjoy your visit up to Donny in November.

[A Horse With No Name]

Just to add my thoughts to todays game, I promised regardless of the result that I'd come back on this forum and give my views.

I thought you looked a very good side and created and caused Rovers a lot of problems, although at the same time we were as equally as dangerous as you were. To be honest, I wasn't overly impressed with Marcus Stewart upfront for you guys, but at the same time, I have spoken to sveral Rovers fans this evening, and some thought Stewart was poor, others thought he was good.

All in all though, it was a fair result, Rovers perhaps by the slightest of margins shaded it on chances, but for a 0-0 draw it was certainly a very exciting and interesting game. At half time I felt worried, as it was always likely that one goal would be enough to win the game, and going on the first half performance both sides looked capable of breaking the deadlock. I think it would be fair to say that both sides today looked vey strong, and if we both continue to play like how we did today, then we could both be meeting this time next year in the Championship.

On a sidenote today, I met quite a number of your fans before and after the game and they are an absolutely great bunch, and a credit to your club. I was in the Robins pub for a godd couple of hours (11 - 1.00ish) and many of your supporters seemed very pleasant and freindly.

All the best of luck for the rest of this campaign, and I hope you enjoy your visit up to Donny in November.

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All the best to you too. May I suggest next time, you pay a visit to the Ship and Castle or the Three Lions, where a very warm welcome will be extended to you and your friends.