Rovers 0 Walsall 0

[Rockford's Love Child]

A poor performance. Rovers started the game sluggishly against a well organised Walsall side and did not really get going for the next 65 minutes: only a change of formation with Robinson moving into the hole and Bakayogo moving into the left midfield role saw us come to life and play some decent stuff in the closing stages of the game, but fail to force a winner which we wouldn't have deserved.

Tonight was a good demonstration of why RM has been reluctant to play Stockton and Cassidy together. They both worked hard, but there was no variation in our front play, no movement in behind and the whole performance was static and lifeless. Regardless of tactics, too many players just did not turn up and there were several below par showings.

On the positive side, I thought Holmes, Harrison and Palmer did alright and Zoum was really good when he moved further forward. Robinson was pretty anonymous until he moved into the middle, after which he caused them some real problems.

McGurk was awful in the first half, but getting lamped by one of his own players (Taylor) and jeered off by the crowd when he was substituted is not going to improve his performances. It was probably Adam's failure to track back in the first half, in addition to an awful throw out from Fonners, which led to 2 or 3 good oppportunities for their number 9 whose finishing was, thankfully, terrible.

Very disappointing crowd of below 5,000 considering it was a category C game.

The best part of the night was getting home to see that all of the top 6 failed to win and our lead is preserved. It's a funny old league.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Don't think it's fair to draw any conclusions from a potential Cassidy/Stockton partnership given that they were playing in front of a dismal midfield.

From where I was sat it certainly looked to be McGurk who lashed out at Taylor, not the other way round. Beyond bored of him at this point either way, can't really believe that Kirby could be much worse.

Not sure I agree that Palmer had a particularly good game as he seemed to want way too long in possession at times. Think Zoum, Harrison, Gibson and Holmes were good individually. Ash doesn't look fit.

Our squad is stretched and it's showing. Tonight was **** again.

 

[Ian]

Yes, results went in our favour really, and it was an off night for many sides, but it certainly was another poor display. Like you say, we only got into the game when Black came on, Bakayogo pushed forward and Robbo moved into the middle. Sadly, I think that change came too late.

What's concerning me is the sloppiness creeping back into our game. Poor passing and a few aimless punts up field. We'd eliminated this from our play at the start of the season but it seems to be finding it's way back.

We are looking a little bit lean up front at the moment. Takes a little getting used to considering all the goals we have score so far. Missing Akpo and even Bell-Baggie is making a huge difference to our forward play.

However.. another week rolls on and we are still top.

I don't think McGurk has a future at this club. He is frustrating most of the time and the crowd just don't like him.

 

[Ian]

Ash doesn't look fit.

He struggling tonight and got skinned a few times. If he's not fit, he shouldn't be playing. We've got a perfectly able 40-year old to fill in.

 

[DIW]

Agree with the points in general. Harrison had a tidy game but we desperately missed Wallace. McGurk had an absolute stinker again but every mistake is now highlighted by the crowd and I'm not sure where he can go from here, fighting with your own players isn't going to help. squad is stretched and thin on confidence BUT.. somehow we are still on the top. Weird.

Quote from Ronnie

“The players have been fantastic; I’ve got nothing but praise for them. They’re on their last legs. We all want Wallace to play, we all want Akpa Akpro to play and we all want Bell-Baggie to play, but to boo them, it astounds me.

And he's right. Some 'fans' want to have a think.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

What's concerning me is the sloppiness creeping back into our game. Poor passing and a few aimless punts up field. We'd eliminated this from our play at the start of the season but it seems to be finding it's way back.

This was the most disappointing part of the night for me. We have built a reputation as a decent footballing side this season and we don't want to throw it away.

I think the crowd don't help at times, barracking the full backs for going back to the keeper when the opposition have got ten men behind the ball. Better to keep possession than aimlessly punt it down field, something we saw too much of tonight.

 

[SonkORLY?]

I think the crowd don't help at times, barracking the full backs for going back to the keeper when the opposition have got ten men behind the ball.

Yeah this drives me insane

 

[amplesou]

Yeah this drives me insane

me too ..

 

[Tartantranmere64]

We've been top all season. We're the league's top scorers, we've only conceded one goal in five matches, we're top of the league by two points, we've got an exciting team full of talented individuals and we've got a manager who likes to play attacking football.

Go on, find something to boo about.

If you do, you are helping the opposition, not Rovers.

 

[tea for two]

the game was crap the performance was poor.too many players had a off night .cassidy needs a experienced striker with him.if ecclesstone on the bench why didnt moore bring him on.Robinson was poor and he didnt look fit.its about time moore was given some money off the owner and get some decent players.we did miss wallace tonight.mcgurk was awful and he shoud be dropped but who else could u play there maybe bring in a winger.it was a good job the other sides around us dropped points.is robinson back on the drink again.

 

[Sparky]

It was a frustrating night for us all but the booing was an absolute disgrace.

Ronnie has mentioned it a few times in his post match remarks and I just hope he and the players know its just a small minority of muppets. I mean for christs sake, we're top of the league! And missing arguably our best player in Wallace, plus JLAA, bell Baggie, joe Thompson. It was ridiculous.

Yes we didn't play well but results went for us and we remain top.

The worry is that the players will dread playing at home as we haven't won now in the last 4 home games. It was stupid also to boo when cole went off. It clearly wasn't working and things improved thereafter. It just gets the managers and players backs up.

I saw the mcgurk incident clearly. Ash was screaming in his face so he, quite rightly lashed out. As I would. I feel sorry for Adam as he is clearly not a winger and never has been. He always needed a run of games up front but due to injury and competition, it hasn't worked out. He will go at the end of the season .

 

[amplesou]

We've been top all season. We're the league's top scorers, we've only conceded one goal in five matches, we're top of the league by two points, we've got an exciting team full of talented individuals and we've got a manager who likes to play attacking football.
.

Jeeze you,ve got a good memory!

i did,nt boo ,i voted with my feet and stayed home..!

And will continue to do so while Rovers serve up the crap they have, at PP this last month !

 

[Higgy]

Robbo in the hole is his best position IMO. I have always said I would settle for full backs playing wide rather than using forwards out of position...at least the full back is used to the tight space near the touch line. Playing Zoum up there is always a decent option, although did come in for some criticism last year.

Standard of fottball has dropped lately, but as stated earlier we are top and a good footballing outfit............only problem is some of our better footballers are not available. Trick is to get as many on the park as possible, but at our level the sacrifice is we have to have a few journeymen as back up and so long as the good guys are not missing long term and the journeymen limit the damage we should still be in with a shout of play-offs at the end of the season.

 

[Ian]

Booing is ridiculous but it's a fickle game. Obviously they aren't booing what's been achieved so far, they are booing the performance on the night. I'm not excusing it, just trying to make sense of it.

We are top of the league, you would say a decent footballing side. Surely we can do better than passing back to the keeper when your almost in the oppositions half. What did we do earlier on in the season? These are the nuisances that are creeping back into our game.

We spent more time moving sideways and backwards than we did going forward.

 

[bigmart]

A poor perfromance and poor game in which neither side deserved to win.

Only zoom harrison gibson & holmes for me played well the rest were below par. The booing was terrible and it doesnt help anything at all.

When the other results came through it made our result even more frustrating.

 

[roverstillidie]

i did,nt boo ,i voted with my feet and stayed home..!

And will continue to do so while Rovers serve up the crap they have, at PP this last month !

We're top of the league, get a grip mate.

As for the booing I suspect a lot of it is out of frustration more than anything else.

 

[Ian]

We're top of the league, get a grip mate.

I'd take anything amplesou says with a pinch of salt. He's been a stay at home supporters for years, never mind the last month. And when he does go, he doesn't stick around for 90 minutes. Lol

 

[roverstillidie]

If there was ever a case for full on, Chinese government style censorship of the internet, Amplesou is it.

 

[SonkORLY?]

It was another poor performance and the "we're top of the league stop complaining" brigade are starting to do my head in a bit. Our home form is very poor and we need to turn it round. We had enough decent players on the pitch to beat Walsall ffs. That was their first clean sheet in about a century.

When we talk about "other results going our way" we have to make direct comparisons; I expect every other side with ideas of being in the top 6 will beat Walsall at home, that's what counts and that's what damages our promotion aspirations.

The players know what is and isn't good enough though and we don't need to boo them. That's Ronnie's job.

 

[roverstillidie]

It was another poor performance and the "we're top of the league stop complaining" brigade are starting to do my head in a bit. Our home form is very poor and we need to turn it round. We had enough decent players on the pitch to beat Walsall ffs. That was their first clean sheet in about a century.

When we talk about "other results going our way" we have to make direct comparisons; I expect every other side with ideas of being in the top 6 will beat Walsall at home, that's what counts and that's what damages our promotion aspirations.

The players know what is and isn't good enough though and we don't need to boo them. That's Ronnie's job.

Apparently I'm in a brigade, that's news to me:shock: I'm not saying you can't complain or make constructive criticism because we're top of the league, I'm simply saying that boycotting the ground, "because it's not good enough" is bizarre to say the least. When will the wise Amplesou return? When we win the Champions League?!