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Fleetwood v Rovers

Fleetwood v Rovers
Posted by Ian
Highbury Stadium
Saturday, November 23, 2019 - 03:00 PM
Until: Saturday, November 23, 2019 - 05:00 PM
(Adjusted for timezone: Europe/London)
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bigmart

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It is encouraging that by all accounts we played well and were the better team but it is worrying that we cannot keep a clean sheet and also don't score enough.

December is potentially a pivotal month with the cup game and some winnable league games
 
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look a good show but need to be sharper up top . if we play like that we will win more than we lose
 

Ian

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We should have got something from that. Even first half but we were the better side in the second.
Completely agree. We were the better team but I would say our final ball probably let us down a bit. Great effort though !
 
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I am disappointed with the result but happy with the performance.

It was a game of fine margins. We started the first half much the better side, with RHM and Ferrier causing their defence all sorts of problems with their pace, but we then conceded a sloppy free kick on the edge of our box with a familiar outcome. We perhaps got a bit bogged down in the remainder of the half, and MM was right to switch to 442. However, having made the tactical change we again dominated the opening fifteen to twenty minutes of the second half, but did not make the most of several reasonable chances and great deliveries into the box from Morris, CBT and CBJ (our failure to attack balls into the eighteen yard box is a major issue). Having failed to capitalise when we were on top, Madden predictably nicked a second goal against the run of play; a really prolific goalscorer was ultimately the difference between the teams.

Fleetwood played some good stuff through midfield at times, and looked more likely to open the opposing defence up through a passing move, but Ferrier, RHM and CBT were a constant menace with their pace and workrate. It is a real positive that, as in the recent Wycombe games, we have gone toe to toe with one of the best sides in the division and there was no obvious gulf between the teams. I think we have improved massively in the last couple of months and should have enough to stay up, particularly as Southend and MK show no sign of improvement.

Individually, I thought the three attacking players I have mentioned all had good games, and there were also good performances from Borthwick Jackson, Morris and Potter. The centre halves did OK as well, and their keeper was busier than ours this afternoon.
 

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Agreed RLC. We looked like a pretty decent team today and you can certainly see the improvement over the last few months. Attacking the ball in the box is a big issue as there were plenty of deliveries into the box today. We also just didn't get the rub today. Along with a couple of dubious referring decisions the ball just didn't fall nicely.

Look at their second goal. Ball came off two players and feel nicely for the goal. Although you could argue you need to be there in the first place.

It was a solid, confident effort from the lads and more of those performances we'll win more then we'll lose.
 

Boz

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I see Paul Mullin scored for Rovers within a minute or two of coming on.:)

As long as we play reasonably against teams at the top end of the table,as it sounded like we did today, I'm not too concerned. The games where we must pick up points are those involving fellow strugglers. By this time next month, we should have a better idea how the land lies in that regard.
 
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now we move on to chi . if the font two and the wide players keep the same tempo as today and get there shooting boots on we could get a few the next 3 or 4 lg games we have to pick up a few wins . with the teams we are going to play .
 
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I see Paul Mullin scored for Rovers within a minute or two of coming on.:)
Still one fewer than Stefan. :p In all seriousness, Ferrier and Rushian are deservedly ahead of both of them in the pecking order at the moment.
 

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I see Paul Mullin scored for Rovers within a minute or two of coming on.
He is most definitely an impact player.
 
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mullin and connor both out of contract in the summer cant see mullin being around next season . you would think that they would be trying to earn a new one or better away . but have to be playing well
 

ADD

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Overall I agree we played well with some great interplay at times but we still lost - we just don't seem street wise enough at this level. First goal was a goal kick to us yes 100% BUT CBJ trying to pass it to Jennings on the edge of our box - stupid beyond belief! Their second also far far too easy - CBT in no man's land left their player free so Manny had to go out wide to cover and suddenly a gap in the middle and it was 2-0 far far too easy albeit with a deflection. Pretty much their only attempt to get forward in the second half and they score easily.
How their keeper got MOM is beyond me - he made an ok save from CBT and another late on from a shot along the floor but he missed a cross when MM header was saved on the line and did nothing else as our other shots missed the goal.
The biggest concern is that as others have said we played the better football against a good side but we simply aren't creating enough chances with no incisive balls into the channels and as others have said not attacking balls into the box sufficiently. That said, Caprice again had a shocker with his crossing - two flew miles over everyone's heads when he was unopposed. Woods is fit now I assume so surely he should replace Caprice.
Jackson really needs to up his coaching or we need to get someone else in who can (although I know MM won't) - as MM said post match we have to start very soon to get some clean sheets or we will be in serious trouble without doubt.
 

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No issue with Ferrier and RHM being the starting forward pairing, both have excellent work-rates. Agree with ADD that we're not attacking some decent balls into the box, that was a noteable failing at the Wycombe league game. I doubt Mullin will be with us next season,while Connor apparently turned down a contract extension in the summer. Both are valuable squad members for now. Pontacelli hasn't been on the bench recently,injured/out of favour/gone back to Coventry?

Also agree with ADD about our defensive frailties. Wonder if it was Micky or MJ who preferred Ray to Nelson in our starting line-up early on? I think that was a big mistake and Monthe seemed less confident paired with Ray. Caprice is struggling at this level, though thought he was one of our better players in the first half of the Wycombe league game. Woods is so injury-prone that I'd be more inclined to wait for Wilson to serve his ban and fit him in on the right.
 
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Aside from the Sunderland game, Ray was Ok in the early weeks of the season. I prefer Nelson to him , but I think people have greatly exaggerated the alleged negative impact he had on the team. We have to bear in mind that only one team - Ipswich - has kept a clean sheet at Fleetwood this season, and the strength of their home record, when assessing our defensive performance. While some of the points ADD makes are valid individually, I don't take anywhere near such a negative view of the performance as a whole.
 

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Yeah, I think ADD raises some good points but in general if we play like we did yesterday we will win more than we lose. I'm also not quite seeing what RHM brings to the party? He hasn't done a great deal to justify a starting place IMO.
 
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We have had four seasons where we have been expected to win most games and have done so. This year, everyone accepts we are not one of the strongest teams in the division. But that doesn't mean that because we are losing more than we are winning that we are relegation candidates. There are enough teams worse than us to feel confident about avoiding the drop.
 
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I'm also not quite seeing what RHM brings to the party? He hasn't done a great deal to justify a starting place IMO.
I thought he was excellent in the first half yesterday Ian. Some great runs which caused their defence all sorts of problems. He faded in the second half, perhaps due to tiredness. He also played well at MK and Wycombe, but only a minority of people saw those games.

I think he has improved us in the attacking third and definitely deserves an extended run in the team. If Mullin gets nine or ten games to do not much at all, Rushian deserves his opportunity now.
 

bigmart

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The next 3 league games are hugely important for us and I feel we need 6 or 7 points from them, all 3 are winnable games against struggling teams, if we play like the last 2 games we should win but if we play like we did against Southend we will struggle.
 

Boz

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Yeah, I think ADD raises some good points but in general if we play like we did yesterday we will win more than we lose. I'm also not quite seeing what RHM brings to the party? He hasn't done a great deal to justify a starting place IMO.
3 goals at Milton Keynes for a start? I think he works hard and will track back and offers pace which the other forward options don't really have. He's not the finished article by a long way and perhaps won't get picked every game. The Ferrier-Payne combination features players whose style is quite similar making it easier for opponents to defend against.
 
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