Rovers 1 North End 1

[Rockford's Love Child]

Awful game and our poorest performance of the season by far, but a point which will be gratefully accepted.

I don't think we ever got going today. Some of the football was decent in the first half hour, without any real end product, but the second half was dreadful: I lost count of the number of times we gave the ball away under no pressure. Wallace had a really below par game and there was a lack of quality from the wide areas; the absence of Robbo was keenly felt, and fir the first time this season we actually looked low on confidence for periods of the game, the previous two defeats perhaps taking their toll on the players.

The only real positives were the performance of the back four, which was much better than recent weeks, Preston's goal having an element of luck about it, and Cassidy once again showing his predatory instinct. Although we did not deserve to win, I also couldn't see why his disallowed goal was given off side, as Wallace was virtually on the touch line when the ball was crossed.

I was unimpressed by Preston, although they were the better side; well organised and little else. I thought they ultimately paid for their negativity after going a goal up, endlessly trying to waste time and break up the play at a time in the game when we were struggling badly.

I thought Ecclestone did ok in the first half, but faded in the second, but it is difficult to judge him when the team as a whole played so poorly.

Still top of the league, and hopefully this result will stop the rot and provide a platform for the coming away games.

 

[amplesou]

Went today ... departed after the preston goal( had enough)

Too many games has caught up with some of the younger lads,who have not been used to regulalr footaball at this level imo

We need some experience.. feel we have been out musled in games starting against the brentford game

Ronni please... this team is going one way and that is down as far as i can see..!

Quality of the lad we bought in form Blackpool..very poor ..we need a target man with pace .and what did we get..a short arse with no pace or ability to hold the ball up ..if fact not a league one player on this performance..bad mistake By rm ..

Top of the league ! yes but totally false position

 

[WildRover]

Overall: Awful, and how Bell-baggie got MoTm,Ill never know (Should have been Ash, he earned his wage this weekend!)

Ecco: Waste of a wage, unless his is simply match unfit, he was terrible, how he was a liverpool player ever ill never know, based on that performance, but hopefully he is just not match fit.

McGurk: Another in the waste of a wage bracket, again, another ex prem player, from villa, but is plain terrible, IMO

Wallace: Had a shocker, his worst game in a Rovers shirt, constantly giving the ball away and at best had 50% pass completion

At least we have the FA cup game to instill confidence back into the team before a couple of potentially difficult away games.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Some of the above comments are a bit OTT. Ok, we had a stinker today, but we still did not lose against a side who are supposedly going to be in the shake up in April.

We took a point from a game we would have definitely lost in previous seasons and still have Robbo's return to look forward to.

 

[DIW]

Went today ... depeparted after the preston goal( had enough)

Brilliant - that's how you support your team. :roll:

Yes the performance today was the poorest for some time, and Robbo was truly missed. This had an affect on Zoum getting down the line as well.
Positives would be that we dug in and ground out a draw when we didn't really deserve it. I was also a bit confused with Cassidy being offside as there didn't look enough space for that, but the linesman was in the right place.

Eccleston was poor, McGurk terrible and I think Danny Holmes is looking dodgy at the moment. I would have gone for Palmer as MOM - thought he had a very tidy game in there, with Wallace well below par.

 

[WildRover]

Anyone else notice who was in the main stand? I saw Danny Wilson, not sure who else was there...

 

[merseyside bossman]

mcgurk has had a run of games now and I can say he really gives no cutting edge to the team.
defo a waste of a wage.

wallace was poor but 1 game in 14 isnt bad.

defence was good, zoom was kept very busy by the best right winger Ive seen at Prenton Park this year.

OFW had an awesome save late on.


As for Eccelston, looks like he thinks he's above us in his head...... hope im wrong here

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Cheer up, lads! We played badly against one of the division's better sides and still got away with a point. Last week we had no luck at all - we lost and our rivals won. This week we actually doubled our lead at the top as the chasing pack lost or drew winnable matches. Is everyone now feeling the heat?

 

[amplesou]

We need to ship out redundant players come january..Mcgurk MacCristal Harrison etc..we don,t need them .they don,t offer any thing to the current sqad ..i,d rather we ditched these three and got one god one in.

 

[Boz]

Didn't get to the game in the end...sounds like I didn't miss much.

McChrystal and Harrison haven't had a look in, so can hardly comment on whether they're needed. McGurk has had more opportunities, with mixed results. However we have too thin a squad to be ditching players.

Be grateful of the point and move on.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Reading some of their websites that was apparently one of their better performances of the season. If that is the case, they are a long, long way behind Rovers.

Frustrating that we put in such a poor display to allow Westley and their supporters to crow about 'playing us off the park'. However expensively assembled their squad may be, I actually wouldn't swap any of the players who turned out for them today for our best eleven. We have more quality and are a far better footballing side, but unfortunately we did not show it today.

Hopefully we can regain some confidence in the cup match next week and reignite the season.

 

[Ian]

Wise words RLC.

Definitely the worst I've seen us this season. Really struggled without Robbo and we lacked a cutting edge. Also missing JLAA but although Ecclestone was poor he's only played 1 game.

Also can't understand why the goal was offside and also why Preston took their foot of the gas after they scored. Glad of the point.

This game also confirmed to me there is no problem at the back. It's upfront we have to concentrate on. Big boost once Robbo comes back.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Hardly need to reignite our season, we actually moved a point further ahead on Saturday.

We played poorly. So what? It's one game. We've been amazing this season. Positives? Plenty - the defence was back on form; we battled back to get a point when most other teams wouldn't have; we're still creating chances even when we've not played well (offside 'goal'?).

I also think that the lads gave everything and more against Donny on Tuesday. it was a real 15-round-heavyweight slog. So let's forgive them an off day against a very aggressive Preston team.

As has been said, wouldn't swap being Rovers for being Preston.

 

[Mal]

Well said Tartan. As for getting a god one in, Thor perhaps? ;0) he'd get thunderous applause, and teams would be hammered

 

[Higgy]

Ref the need for harrison, McCrystal et al. I think the logic is we have a good first 11...maybe 13 and might be paying a few quid more than usual to keep them. To afford having this calibre Ronnie makes the rest up with journeyman players for this level of more modest ability. trick is not too have too many injuries/suspensions to prevent us using weaker players in the squad too often. It would be great to have players who could get into other sides first eleven on our bench, but that ain't going to happen. I like the gamble of having better quality at the front end...and hope for the best, rather than having 18 also rans.