Strange from the ref, as that bird had been on the pitch for about 20mins, and then by the time he decided it was time to remove it, it was outside of the pitch.
The game was on 2 dreadfully defended set pieces. After that we were always chasing, so it was always a monumental ask to recover.
Way too early to write Bayo off. Like the other poster said, just one great header and we're through and equalise.
Add Tyson and Paris into the mix and we'll look a different outfit. Hopefully.
I am now actually wondering if moving McCarthy to midfield could be the option. It doesn't feel like we have quite enough quality in midfield. Lots of games left to get the formation and personnel right. It is interesting how the comments before the game were that there seems to be strength in depth in the line up so surely we can get it right with the players we have.
What on earth was the drinks break on 41 minutes about all about? Looked like Rovers wanted it to break up the game. Wasn't even that warm and only 4 mins until halftime!
@perfidious_albion said:
Pace, pace, pace. Without it you won’t cut it in League One.
Williams, Kashket, McCarthy (Tyson) have it and they are out best players.
JJ, Blooms, Bayo don’t and need to be ‘rested’.
Those around me seem to disagree but I think Gape ‘falls between stools’ as well, not fast , not strong in the tackle, can’t thread a pass - what does he bring to the party?
Agree with this. Having only one quick player (Williams) in the front six is crazy. We must find a way to get some more mobile players into the 11.
Ref stopped the game to get the aforementioned bird away from pitchside. It had been there a few minutes - had quite a crash landing in the area earlier in the half.
How about
Allsop
McCarthy, Stewart, El Abd, JJ
Harriman, Saunders, Gape, Freeman
Bayo, Williams
With Kashket to come on later because he said he isn't yet match fit in his interview. Didn't Harriman used to be great in midfield and get goals? We only started playing him in defence because as much as we love Sido he can be a bit of a liability sometimes. I thought he much preferred it to. Now we have McCarthy time for Harriman back in midfield. This feels like it makes more sense than the weird 4 man midfield against Doncaster.
What was McCarthy doing as a centre half when we have stewart..crazy decision by Gaz.
Would we have conceded those 2 goals with him on the pitch? Both crosses were swung into far post.
Need to get Saunders back in and put thompson back on the bench. I do wonder if Gaz is to chummy at times with the squad and rotates when it's not needed.
Had an interesting chat with a Rovers fan at the station waiting for the train back to London.
He told me he believes there is an undercurrent of concern amongst the fans about things going on behind the scenes and that the owner, al-Qadi, is actually 'a fraud' with nowhere near as much money as promised.
always going to be a very difficult season. Perhaps easier for me to say from afar than those who went. Try to keep the faith guys and retain the bond with manager and players when times are hard. Its one of the clubs key strengths. we may need it in times to come.
Well said Dev. I have every confidence we will get it right, but the last thing we need now is for us as fans to fail to do our bit when the club needs us. Clearly there are some among our support who at best will throw the towel in at the first sign of trouble and at worst become abusive and turn on the players/manager etc. We need to drown those idiots out before they potentially have a negative impact.
@colonel_splaffy said:
How about
Allsop
McCarthy, Stewart, El Abd, JJ
Harriman, Saunders, Gape, Freeman
Bayo, Williams
With Kashket to come on later because he said he isn't yet match fit in his interview. Didn't Harriman used to be great in midfield and get goals? We only started playing him in defence because as much as we love Sido he can be a bit of a liability sometimes. I thought he much preferred it to. Now we have McCarthy time for Harriman back in midfield. This feels like it makes more sense than the weird 4 man midfield against Doncaster.
Agree with @Jonny_King and @DevC . And indeed wasn't so bad yesterday. Kashket scored a really good goal and both theirs were soft. Once we started attacking we looked as dangerous as they did. Work to do but Gaz knows what that work is.
So:
We sing when we're glad
We sing when we're sad.
I wasn't there yesterday so can't comment too much, but my opinion ... that I've had from start of the season is... we are going to be a bit to weak in midfield. We have a good keeper, and a more than decent back up, a good enough defence if they get a bit of a break and protection from midfield, and with the forward line we have playing and currently not playing that is also good enough to score enough goals if they get the support from midfield. Sorry it's only my opinion, but pretty much all our midfield is only league 2 standard, hoping Gaz will get some loans in to strengthen that area.
Allsop, allowing for the fact that Gape got in his way on the near post for the second goal, made zero errors yesterday, two or three excellent saves and seems to have some kind of adhesive on his gloves.
Just watched the ‘highlights’. Couple of points to takeaway from that. Bayo’s miss dofl. Kashket looks SHARP that goal was not easy for any striker let alone one that has been out for a year.
If we’re going to have a difficult patch during the season it’s better to have it early so things can be sorted out. If a dip in form happens over Christmas/New Year it’s often hard to change things before the run-in starts around March.
I have every confidence GA will get it sorted. However, from just 3 games you can see that you have to play a bit of football in League One & the pace the game is played at is far quicker than League Two. Much more enjoyable to watch.
It has looked more of a difference than I was expecting.
Although Blackpool didn't look any great shakes. Such a shame we couldn't have put a chance away against them.
I obviously know nothing about the football (cue cries of agreement) as I thought Thompson was the pick of our midfield, the only person closing down rovers in the midfield, won a lot of battles coming away with the ball and made a couple of really good interceptions. Thompson, Saunders and gape for me if we play a three in the centre. Cms or bayo...not both. It should have been Williams and Freeman either side of the big man for me. Two goals down we were in trouble but great fight back. We need to be snappier and faster but we've still got 40 odd games to go. Williams looked good but a pity HE could not be on the end of some if his crosses! Bayo will.improve, but Bloomfield starting does not do it for me.
I like Thompson - neat and tidy player. Never necessarily going to massively stand out because that's not what he's there for. A definite upgrade of Bean and Bloomfield.
Saunders, Gape and Thompson will do ok together I think
Did all the people who keep raving about Thompson including Alan Parry fail to notice his sublime pass along the six yard box to there striker for him to tap in. Or not notice the several times he was muscled of the ball because he was to slow.
I don't think anyone is raving @Chickenhead I was too far away from the goal scramble to see what went on, but I saw a few tackles, saw him muscle rovers players off the ball and a couple of blocks that obviously you didn't. So you know swings and roundabouts.
Well imo for what it's worth. Can't knock Bloomfields effort, however his lack of ability at this level was very clear. We were torn apart by their movement off the ball and played through us as if we were not there. Personally until we can get settled in to a game, I would play 5 across the middle, (2 wingers on the outside of that 5) to help out the middle 3. Saunders can't be 1 of 3 without help, but as observed by several he is our only creative player. I can't see why GA gave extended terms to Bean and Bloomfield? Certainly not ability so can only presume it was a "stability and loyalty" decision. Bayo will get better but will it be enough? As the scout I was sitting next to stated, "direct football will only get you so far". Time for GA & the coaching team to develop and use plan B. Maybe time for the players to trust each other more with the ball, keep possession through the middle and draw defenders out of their comfort zone?
Comments
That reminds me. Over a wee dram at half time, Alan Parry asked me to publicise his latest exhibition. And a bonny one it is tooo
https://www.artsy.net/show/catto-gallery-alan-parry-solo-exhibition-1
Strange from the ref, as that bird had been on the pitch for about 20mins, and then by the time he decided it was time to remove it, it was outside of the pitch.
The game was on 2 dreadfully defended set pieces. After that we were always chasing, so it was always a monumental ask to recover.
Way too early to write Bayo off. Like the other poster said, just one great header and we're through and equalise.
Add Tyson and Paris into the mix and we'll look a different outfit. Hopefully.
I am now actually wondering if moving McCarthy to midfield could be the option. It doesn't feel like we have quite enough quality in midfield. Lots of games left to get the formation and personnel right. It is interesting how the comments before the game were that there seems to be strength in depth in the line up so surely we can get it right with the players we have.
It's the creative/attacking side of midfield we need to sort out, surely?
Saunders aside we don't have any semblance of it.
What on earth was the drinks break on 41 minutes about all about? Looked like Rovers wanted it to break up the game. Wasn't even that warm and only 4 mins until halftime!
Agree with this. Having only one quick player (Williams) in the front six is crazy. We must find a way to get some more mobile players into the 11.
Ref stopped the game to get the aforementioned bird away from pitchside. It had been there a few minutes - had quite a crash landing in the area earlier in the half.
How about
Allsop
McCarthy, Stewart, El Abd, JJ
Harriman, Saunders, Gape, Freeman
Bayo, Williams
With Kashket to come on later because he said he isn't yet match fit in his interview. Didn't Harriman used to be great in midfield and get goals? We only started playing him in defence because as much as we love Sido he can be a bit of a liability sometimes. I thought he much preferred it to. Now we have McCarthy time for Harriman back in midfield. This feels like it makes more sense than the weird 4 man midfield against Doncaster.
What was McCarthy doing as a centre half when we have stewart..crazy decision by Gaz.
Would we have conceded those 2 goals with him on the pitch? Both crosses were swung into far post.
Need to get Saunders back in and put thompson back on the bench. I do wonder if Gaz is to chummy at times with the squad and rotates when it's not needed.
Chummy with the squad?!
Had an interesting chat with a Rovers fan at the station waiting for the train back to London.
He told me he believes there is an undercurrent of concern amongst the fans about things going on behind the scenes and that the owner, al-Qadi, is actually 'a fraud' with nowhere near as much money as promised.
always going to be a very difficult season. Perhaps easier for me to say from afar than those who went. Try to keep the faith guys and retain the bond with manager and players when times are hard. Its one of the clubs key strengths. we may need it in times to come.
Well said Dev. I have every confidence we will get it right, but the last thing we need now is for us as fans to fail to do our bit when the club needs us. Clearly there are some among our support who at best will throw the towel in at the first sign of trouble and at worst become abusive and turn on the players/manager etc. We need to drown those idiots out before they potentially have a negative impact.
Interesting to note that we've only scored 1 goal down the away end in our last 12 home games in all competitions. A statistical oddity
I would love to see that team!
Agree with @Jonny_King and @DevC . And indeed wasn't so bad yesterday. Kashket scored a really good goal and both theirs were soft. Once we started attacking we looked as dangerous as they did. Work to do but Gaz knows what that work is.
So:
We sing when we're glad
We sing when we're sad.
We're Wycombe Wanderers.
It's Oxford who're bad.
I wasn't there yesterday so can't comment too much, but my opinion ... that I've had from start of the season is... we are going to be a bit to weak in midfield. We have a good keeper, and a more than decent back up, a good enough defence if they get a bit of a break and protection from midfield, and with the forward line we have playing and currently not playing that is also good enough to score enough goals if they get the support from midfield. Sorry it's only my opinion, but pretty much all our midfield is only league 2 standard, hoping Gaz will get some loans in to strengthen that area.
Alsopp didn’t have a good game yesterday at all. Hope he improves back to the levels of his first spell.
Allsop, allowing for the fact that Gape got in his way on the near post for the second goal, made zero errors yesterday, two or three excellent saves and seems to have some kind of adhesive on his gloves.
Just watched the ‘highlights’. Couple of points to takeaway from that. Bayo’s miss dofl. Kashket looks SHARP that goal was not easy for any striker let alone one that has been out for a year.
If we’re going to have a difficult patch during the season it’s better to have it early so things can be sorted out. If a dip in form happens over Christmas/New Year it’s often hard to change things before the run-in starts around March.
I have every confidence GA will get it sorted. However, from just 3 games you can see that you have to play a bit of football in League One & the pace the game is played at is far quicker than League Two. Much more enjoyable to watch.
It has looked more of a difference than I was expecting.
Although Blackpool didn't look any great shakes. Such a shame we couldn't have put a chance away against them.
I obviously know nothing about the football (cue cries of agreement) as I thought Thompson was the pick of our midfield, the only person closing down rovers in the midfield, won a lot of battles coming away with the ball and made a couple of really good interceptions. Thompson, Saunders and gape for me if we play a three in the centre. Cms or bayo...not both. It should have been Williams and Freeman either side of the big man for me. Two goals down we were in trouble but great fight back. We need to be snappier and faster but we've still got 40 odd games to go. Williams looked good but a pity HE could not be on the end of some if his crosses! Bayo will.improve, but Bloomfield starting does not do it for me.
I'm still not quite sure what Thompson is about to be honest. One of those bits and pieces mids who doesn't really stand out.
Saunders and Gape certainly need to be playing each week, the other spot, if we stay with a 3, is up for grabs.
I like Thompson - neat and tidy player. Never necessarily going to massively stand out because that's not what he's there for. A definite upgrade of Bean and Bloomfield.
Saunders, Gape and Thompson will do ok together I think
Did all the people who keep raving about Thompson including Alan Parry fail to notice his sublime pass along the six yard box to there striker for him to tap in. Or not notice the several times he was muscled of the ball because he was to slow.
@micra is going to tear him a new arsehole when he reads that post
I don't think anyone is raving @Chickenhead I was too far away from the goal scramble to see what went on, but I saw a few tackles, saw him muscle rovers players off the ball and a couple of blocks that obviously you didn't. So you know swings and roundabouts.
Well imo for what it's worth. Can't knock Bloomfields effort, however his lack of ability at this level was very clear. We were torn apart by their movement off the ball and played through us as if we were not there. Personally until we can get settled in to a game, I would play 5 across the middle, (2 wingers on the outside of that 5) to help out the middle 3. Saunders can't be 1 of 3 without help, but as observed by several he is our only creative player. I can't see why GA gave extended terms to Bean and Bloomfield? Certainly not ability so can only presume it was a "stability and loyalty" decision. Bayo will get better but will it be enough? As the scout I was sitting next to stated, "direct football will only get you so far". Time for GA & the coaching team to develop and use plan B. Maybe time for the players to trust each other more with the ball, keep possession through the middle and draw defenders out of their comfort zone?