Vokes has missed his fair share of chances to be sure but it's not as if every week we are holding our heads in our hands about another miss. We simply don't create for the strikers. Hanlan surely has to be on the shoulder of their central defender ready for a break through, rarely is. Vokes has to be waiting for a cross that comes from the bi-line, rarely does. Time and time again we played one too many passes on Saturday, or with GMac and Anis took on one too many players. Sometimes you just need to simplify. I don't watch Wednesday but I see enough of the EFL highlights to know that they get a lot of goals from outside the box. When we had a chance to hit it on Saturday we didn't. On a wet pitch sometimes you just need to leather the fecker and see what happens. We didn't, they did. Football is not a difficult game, yet on Saturday we made it far more complex than it should be. Our squad is often like Les Dawson on the piano, all the rights notes but not necessarily in the right order.
I'd like to see Kaikai given a game in McCleary's spot on Saturday - even though McCleary might be due his once in six games world beating performance. I've found myself increasingly frustrated with him this season sadly, summarised perfectly by 2 or 3 passes on Saturday going straight out of play from a throw in.
Although GMac hasn’t reached the heights of last season, he is still a very special talent at this level in my opinion. Kaikai certainly hasn’t been given a fair run though to be fair.
@TheAndyGrahamFanClub point of detail “all the right notes not necessarily in the right order” was in fact a Morecambe and Wise Christmas special with Andre Preview (Previn).
And of course, as @micra would suggest, it should have been “correct order” not “right” although that wouldn’t scan proper.
Any way back to the footie, I remember Grimmer had one thunderbolt from outside the box, just wasn’t like his Cov goal at Wembley.
You have some merits to your points... but a lethal striker makes chances out of nothing. This is going to be mega controversial.... but... I feel like I'm watching the demise of Paul Hayes all over again... undoubtedly skilled... but are the legs there now? We have our jocky mcsporran in Brandon... we need a Sean devine....
I realise I'm in fantasy world but just thinking out loud.
I mean no disrespect to vokes btw. He is a superb player, even now... but his goal contribution needs to improve if we are to make the playoffs
I can’t find @twizz’s comment about “should of” and “coming on in leaps and bounds” - probably in another thread - so I’m not in a position to give him the fabled thumbs up but I’d like to comment briefly (me brief?!) on the two posts above.
Did you mean my response - the one you quoted - @StrongestTeam ? I’d like to think so because I’m aware of the difficulties that @bigred87 has had in the past and my intention was to put a positive and sympathetic spin on my comment. For that reason, I couldn’t understand the thumbs down. I often can’t, to be honest.
Exactly this - he was banging them in last season, and I fail to believe that anything meaningful has happened to him in that time that has caused a decline - we didn’t sign him for his pace and we don’t expect him to be the Samuel/DeBarr relentless harrying type.
For whatever reason, he’s just not getting the service right now.
I think that’s probably not helped by having two key attackers - Mehmeti and McCleary - who will often choose to shoot themselves rather than get the cross in.
Which is fine if it works - a goal’s a goal - but it doesn’t help Vokes to score.
We seem to target Taf more from set pieces as well - presumably that’s just a height thing, but Vokes is still over 6ft.
I’ve said it before but the biggest problem is that we don’t seem to understand the role of a target man. Vokes would be a great target man if we done it correctly - balls to feet, back to goal. Hold the ball up, allowing the likes of Anis and GMac to run into space. Vokes could easily take two or three defenders out of the game and with the likes of Wing and Wheeler pressing forward, we really could exploit the gaps with through balls.
In fact, Josh is actually probably our best player for finding those gaps.
Instead, we think that lumping it to Vokes’ head makes him a target man.
As the upkeeper of grammatical and phrasing standards on the gasroom, I was surprised to see you describe Max as "second to none" for some aspects of his game.
Do you really rate him the best in the world at certain aspects? ;)
Let’s hope it clicks on Saturday for Mustard against his old club. I know a couple of their supporters who say he always promised much but never quite delivered for them . No better time to get them eating their words.
Whilst on Rovers they also tell me their recent stumble in form is because they have no fit centre backs. COYB’s!
I don’t recall the ‘second to none’ reference @Malone but I do remember “bigging Max up”. I think ‘second to none’ is just one of those expressions that shouldn’t necessarily be taken literally. But I’ll be more careful in future !! ☹️
Meanwhile, I wanted to edit @PBo’s post (above) to leave just the third paragraph but it can’t be done. I loved the idea of Mehmeti and McCleary shooting themselves - well, not really.
Sadly I share the Vokes and Hayes feeling. He’s missed chances a striker of his calibre (and cost) should score. And ultimately 3 goals ain’t good enough.
Vokes is still a threat physically and will give most centre backs a tough time.
All Hayes attributes disappeared almost simultaneously, GA was blinded by past feats, and loyalty to dish out Paul Hayes that new contract, when most could see he was finished at anywhere near the level we were playing at.
Even a declining Vokes should still be a very good League One striker if we play to his strengths. Crossing has been a problem, though - JJ no longer a guaranteed starter, Obita and McCleary both underperforming, McCarthy a poor crosser and Grimmer not much better...
We have long given up on crosses from the bi line, which would be more suited to Vokes. We cross from just inside our half in floating diagonals. Which to me are largely wasted.
We have been effective when the fullbacks have linked with GMac and Anis and got further forward to cross. But a combination of quality and tactics don’t see this often enough.
To give Bristol Rovers their credit, have you seen that the squad has shaved their heads to support one of the players who has cancer. Massive respect however it'll be telling if any of them hasn't shaved their heads!
On a plus point, their heading might be a little wayward and they won't be enjoying these colder conditions either!
Just 11 days left on Mehmeti watch. I am becoming increasingly confident we will have him till the summer, though with lower league transfers you can never be too sanguine, as there does not tend to be that period of rumours beforehand, but instead it just is announced suddenly.
On current form I don't think Mehmeti is good enough for a move to a championship team. I would take any offer close to a million and perhaps we could get someone to score goals and play off Sam Vokes, someone like Alfie May.
Comments
Vokes has missed his fair share of chances to be sure but it's not as if every week we are holding our heads in our hands about another miss. We simply don't create for the strikers. Hanlan surely has to be on the shoulder of their central defender ready for a break through, rarely is. Vokes has to be waiting for a cross that comes from the bi-line, rarely does. Time and time again we played one too many passes on Saturday, or with GMac and Anis took on one too many players. Sometimes you just need to simplify. I don't watch Wednesday but I see enough of the EFL highlights to know that they get a lot of goals from outside the box. When we had a chance to hit it on Saturday we didn't. On a wet pitch sometimes you just need to leather the fecker and see what happens. We didn't, they did. Football is not a difficult game, yet on Saturday we made it far more complex than it should be. Our squad is often like Les Dawson on the piano, all the rights notes but not necessarily in the right order.
I'd like to see Kaikai given a game in McCleary's spot on Saturday - even though McCleary might be due his once in six games world beating performance. I've found myself increasingly frustrated with him this season sadly, summarised perfectly by 2 or 3 passes on Saturday going straight out of play from a throw in.
I’m not sure Joey Barton would agree with recent posts suggesting that we over elaborate in our attacking play!
Although GMac hasn’t reached the heights of last season, he is still a very special talent at this level in my opinion. Kaikai certainly hasn’t been given a fair run though to be fair.
@TheAndyGrahamFanClub point of detail “all the right notes not necessarily in the right order” was in fact a Morecambe and Wise Christmas special with Andre Preview (Previn).
And of course, as @micra would suggest, it should have been “correct order” not “right” although that wouldn’t scan proper.
Any way back to the footie, I remember Grimmer had one thunderbolt from outside the box, just wasn’t like his Cov goal at Wembley.
You have some merits to your points... but a lethal striker makes chances out of nothing. This is going to be mega controversial.... but... I feel like I'm watching the demise of Paul Hayes all over again... undoubtedly skilled... but are the legs there now? We have our jocky mcsporran in Brandon... we need a Sean devine....
I realise I'm in fantasy world but just thinking out loud.
I mean no disrespect to vokes btw. He is a superb player, even now... but his goal contribution needs to improve if we are to make the playoffs
Vokes needs crosses into the box and we aren’t supplying them.
Oh for a Mickey Bell or Darren Currie
I can’t find @twizz’s comment about “should of” and “coming on in leaps and bounds” - probably in another thread - so I’m not in a position to give him the fabled thumbs up but I’d like to comment briefly (me brief?!) on the two posts above.
Nothing wrong with right/wrong notes @perfidious_albion.
Did you mean my response - the one you quoted - @StrongestTeam ? I’d like to think so because I’m aware of the difficulties that @bigred87 has had in the past and my intention was to put a positive and sympathetic spin on my comment. For that reason, I couldn’t understand the thumbs down. I often can’t, to be honest.
Exactly this - he was banging them in last season, and I fail to believe that anything meaningful has happened to him in that time that has caused a decline - we didn’t sign him for his pace and we don’t expect him to be the Samuel/DeBarr relentless harrying type.
For whatever reason, he’s just not getting the service right now.
I think that’s probably not helped by having two key attackers - Mehmeti and McCleary - who will often choose to shoot themselves rather than get the cross in.
Which is fine if it works - a goal’s a goal - but it doesn’t help Vokes to score.
We seem to target Taf more from set pieces as well - presumably that’s just a height thing, but Vokes is still over 6ft.
First rule of thumbs down club is never mention thumbs down
There you are - an upward from me.
I have the well deserved reputation of being like marmite on here and I’ve a pretty good idea who most of the downthumbers are.
I’m thinking of changing my username to @marmitemicra.
This ! I can't understand how some people can't see it ?
I’ve said it before but the biggest problem is that we don’t seem to understand the role of a target man. Vokes would be a great target man if we done it correctly - balls to feet, back to goal. Hold the ball up, allowing the likes of Anis and GMac to run into space. Vokes could easily take two or three defenders out of the game and with the likes of Wing and Wheeler pressing forward, we really could exploit the gaps with through balls.
In fact, Josh is actually probably our best player for finding those gaps.
Instead, we think that lumping it to Vokes’ head makes him a target man.
I actually think JJ would have been half decent as a number 9. Good in the air, good close control and a great shot on him.
As the upkeeper of grammatical and phrasing standards on the gasroom, I was surprised to see you describe Max as "second to none" for some aspects of his game.
Do you really rate him the best in the world at certain aspects? ;)
As for Vokes, I'm not sure it's close to the end of days Hayes situation.
But we're definitely in that age old conundrum of playing a target man and moaning about the lack of movement and pace.
But then play without one and we suddenly can't head it or hold it .
Can we not entertain a line up with both? Hanlan, Mehmeti and McCleary behind Vokes?
I’d like to see a front two of Vokes & Hanlan, both have a lot of quality.
I feel like Hanlan is one of those players like Stuart Beavon where once things click he will suddenly hit 25 in a season.
Let’s hope it clicks on Saturday for Mustard against his old club. I know a couple of their supporters who say he always promised much but never quite delivered for them . No better time to get them eating their words.
Whilst on Rovers they also tell me their recent stumble in form is because they have no fit centre backs. COYB’s!
I don’t recall the ‘second to none’ reference @Malone but I do remember “bigging Max up”. I think ‘second to none’ is just one of those expressions that shouldn’t necessarily be taken literally. But I’ll be more careful in future !! ☹️
Meanwhile, I wanted to edit @PBo’s post (above) to leave just the third paragraph but it can’t be done. I loved the idea of Mehmeti and McCleary shooting themselves - well, not really.
You're still a gasroom giant, so don't worry.
just had a chuckle at the use of the phrase from you of all people 😂
He's got a heck of a lot of attributes and can be unstoppable at times.
He even won a couple of headers on Saturday, unfortunately to no-one in particular, but if we can improve his heading we'll have a hell of a player.
Sadly I share the Vokes and Hayes feeling. He’s missed chances a striker of his calibre (and cost) should score. And ultimately 3 goals ain’t good enough.
Vokes is still a threat physically and will give most centre backs a tough time.
All Hayes attributes disappeared almost simultaneously, GA was blinded by past feats, and loyalty to dish out Paul Hayes that new contract, when most could see he was finished at anywhere near the level we were playing at.
Even a declining Vokes should still be a very good League One striker if we play to his strengths. Crossing has been a problem, though - JJ no longer a guaranteed starter, Obita and McCleary both underperforming, McCarthy a poor crosser and Grimmer not much better...
We have long given up on crosses from the bi line, which would be more suited to Vokes. We cross from just inside our half in floating diagonals. Which to me are largely wasted.
We have been effective when the fullbacks have linked with GMac and Anis and got further forward to cross. But a combination of quality and tactics don’t see this often enough.
To give Bristol Rovers their credit, have you seen that the squad has shaved their heads to support one of the players who has cancer. Massive respect however it'll be telling if any of them hasn't shaved their heads!
On a plus point, their heading might be a little wayward and they won't be enjoying these colder conditions either!
A very commendable and supportive action by the Rovers squad. Well done to them all. 👍👍
Just 11 days left on Mehmeti watch. I am becoming increasingly confident we will have him till the summer, though with lower league transfers you can never be too sanguine, as there does not tend to be that period of rumours beforehand, but instead it just is announced suddenly.
We are just entering the silly phase of the window, we have yet to get through reckless and into batshit crazy.
On current form I don't think Mehmeti is good enough for a move to a championship team. I would take any offer close to a million and perhaps we could get someone to score goals and play off Sam Vokes, someone like Alfie May.