League Two Rovers (1) v Crawley (3)

[dollar'sbloke]

Some of the comments esp on X are off the planet. Nigel has sustained top three form for months from a rabble of about 15 useful players, which is why he under uses subs. Pretty sure today he tried some experiments, the result was never going to matter. Merrie has a pass, he rarely shows it in midfield maybe he could play left side or full back- his defensive capabilities look frail though. Fairly confident McAlear can cover Walker and may mature into a decent player himself. Dennis is no replacement for Norris but could play alongside him. Might be a blessing that Jenno is banned now, pointless playing him wide and we need to try out others with Norris- who not only can hold players off he can ghost past them with skill.
Apter has certainly scored some and strangely seems to be able to tuck them inside the near post but his overall output isn't getting better. Dazzling runs that end up with dispossession are worthless, we maybe over estimating him a bit.
This team bar Rob should survive the summer and get some uplift with incoming signings. Reason to be cheerful
Think Jolley and Hawkes may need to show something now to stay on. Presume Hughes, Lewis and some of never in contention lot will go. Easy to forget we have some of them. Whatever happened to Leake, not as though he got carried off or anything?

 

[Boz]

I'm not sure debacle is fair. Admittedly it was a debacle for the first 10 minutes but we did get into the game and got behind them on numerous occasions. Norris had a great chance for 2-2 which the keeper saved and McAlear fumbled when through on goal late on. I'm not by any means saying they were great but I've a lot worse over the years. Just need to shrug it off and go again on Fri.

As we lost today, Friday becomes almost irrelevant as Rovers no longer have any chance of making the play-offs. Given the importance of this match, the decision to select such an unbalanced bench was a mistake. Not putting on the players who might have given us some hope was also an error. You rightly point out that there were good chances to get back into the game not taken. While you may be right that there are better words to describe what went wrong today, suspect I'm not alone in feeling pretty disillusioned about it all.

 

[ONIGP]

Play offs was a pipe dream even before today. Despite the shocking defending in the first 10 minutes we still could have won the game if not for the "rub of the green" in the first part of the second half. Personally I thought there were 2 stonewall penalties, the handball and the obvious foul when the I (wrongly) assumed the referee was playing advantage before Apter missed the target. If either had come to pass I believe we would have gone on to win. Small margins. McAlear and Merrie are capable of playing at this level but are significantly poorer than the players they replaced, which possibly suggests how far we have progressed under NA. I thought Norris was immense but he did tire at the end. He caused them problems all game though and I can understand why Nigel left him on: nobody on the bench could have made life any more difficult for them. Disappointing rather than disastrous.

 

[Am on mobile]

Just got home when it went 3-0 christ i was thinking my 6-0 was coming right poor start just one of them days

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Crawley's win yesterday should be no more surprising than our win against Mansfield. I have already said that Nigel managed three wins and two draws against the current top three. However, against the current play-off teams, he has managed a single point. I wonder if we raise our game considerably when up against the top teams, but not so much against the wannabes. Maybe that's why Nigel said in his pre-match "We've got to respect the opposition." It's no consolation that Ian Dawes lost every game against the current top seven.

 

[drwhoman]

Crawley's win yesterday should be no more surprising than our win against Mansfield. I have already said that Nigel managed three wins and two draws against the current top three. However, against the current play-off teams, he has managed a single point. I wonder if we raise our game considerably when up against the top teams, but not so much against the wannabes. Maybe that's why Nigel said in his pre-match "We've got to respect the opposition." It's no consolation that Ian Dawes lost every game against the current top seven.

You could be right BBTC. Alternatively, the top three think the points are in the bag against a mid/low table team whereas the wannabes are desperate for points against anyone? Who knows! The bottom line is that we are not consistent often enough. Every team has its highs and lows but we need more highs if we are going to be promoted. Whether this can be achieved with our player budget is a moot point. Nigel can only do what he can do with the players he has. He is a good manager.

 

[Ian]

 

[Am on mobile]

Oh well after yesterday's result a poor season coming to the end. On a brighter note in3 days we are in Cyprus for 2 weeks no cooking no kitchens no stress no work and no social media having a complete break and recharge and tons of relaxation really looking forward to it

 

[bigmart]

Oh well after yesterday's result a poor season coming to the end. On a brighter note in3 days we are in Cyprus for 2 weeks no cooking no kitchens no stress no work and no social media having a complete break and recharge and tons of relaxation really looking forward to it

Hope you have a great time away

 

[Higgy 2]

Missed today, but some really interesting comments - especially those offering balance and perspective.
While it's a good thing getting Norris back, it will give Nigel a headache trying to formulate a set up playing around him. To get the best out of him and the rest of the Team...."sum of the parts". Previously everyone knew and executed the plan well.....especially The Press.
Accommodating Luke and getting the best out of Jenno has to be a priority.
I always thought it would be Dennis and Morris up top when fit, albeit I'm not sure they're going to frighten defenders on the ball with their pace. If they are The Two, where does Connor slot into a midfield which is well grooved in its roles now.
Obviously there was paceand more mobility with Saunders and Jenno, so maybe Nigel will be experimenting on where and when we get the ball back for the rest of the season - given Luke is numero uno.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Missed today, but some really interesting comments - especially those offering balance and perspective.
While it's a good thing getting Norris back, it will give Nigel a headache trying to formulate a set up playing around him. To get the best out of him and the rest of the Team...."sum of the parts". Previously everyone knew and executed the plan well.....especially The Press.
Accommodating Luke and getting the best out of Jenno has to be a priority.
I always thought it would be Dennis and Morris up top when fit, albeit I'm not sure they're going to frighten defenders on the ball with their pace. If they are The Two, where does Connor slot into a midfield which is well grooved in its roles now.
Obviously there was paceand more mobility with Saunders and Jenno, so maybe Nigel will be experimenting on where and when we get the ball back for the rest of the season - given Luke is numero uno.

I assume you meant Dennis and Luke Norris.

 

[dollar'sbloke]

I note pace is becoming an all consuming obsession with some people. Remember no matter how quick Rapter may carve through defenders, it won't be as quick as a defence splitting pass into the path of a striker inside the box. Therefore Walker can prove quicker in effect than Rob, the ball beats any player for speed!

 

[Ian]

Yes, but that's no good when Walker has been subbed at half time or isn't selected due to whatever reason. We still need players that can run at defenders as defence splitting passes aren't too common at this level.

 

[dollar'sbloke]

Yes, but that's no good when Walker has been subbed at half time or isn't selected due to whatever reason. We still need players that can run at defenders as defence splitting passes aren't too common at this level.

Walker isn't the only one who can pass, Merrie put some great cutting low balls into the box from full back which was a lot more effective than Wood eventually forcing his way to the byline to win a corner at best. Jennings has a pass and Morris has many. Of course the main issue is the forwards have only just got a retention power in Norris and might now be able to find some space behind defenders.
Saunders pace normally ends up with a spooned shot into the kop.

 

[Boz]

Walker isn't the only one who can pass, Merrie put some great cutting low balls into the box from full back which was a lot more effective than Wood eventually forcing his way to the byline to win a corner at best. Jennings has a pass and Morris has many. Of course the main issue is the forwards have only just got a retention power in Norris and might now be able to find some space behind defenders.
Saunders pace normally ends up with a spooned shot into the kop.

Wood actually put in a couple of decent low crosses in v Crawley as you describe Merrie doing.
Walker can pick a decent pass but not consistently. He deserves his starts when fit more on the basis of his game management.
Saunders pace draws players towards him, as in the Wrexham game, meaning Norris only had one defender on him when he scored.

If Jennings is missing for the next couple of games due to accumulated yellow cards, it will give Connor a well-earned rest and allow Nigel to consider other options.

 

[Ian]

Dennis makes some great runs, well attempts too but it is usually in vein as his teammates never see him. They just don't have the vision most of the time.

 

[bigmart]

Wood actually put in a couple of decent low crosses in v Crawley as you describe Merrie doing.
Walker can pick a decent pass but not consistently. He deserves his starts when fit more on the basis of his game management.
Saunders pace draws players towards him, as in the Wrexham game, meaning Norris only had one defender on him when he scored.

If Jennings is missing for the next couple of games due to accumulated yellow cards, it will give Connor a well-earned rest and allow Nigel to consider other options.

I think the cut off point for 10 bookings has passed

 

[Sparky]

Dennis makes some great runs, well attempts too but it is usually in vein as his teammates never see him. They just don't have the vision most of the time.

Agree about Dennis. If you watch him closely he makes clever runs all the time but we don’t set up in a way that suits him. Even though we play 4-4-2 the counter attacking style, hitting teams on the break with pace doesn’t suit him and although he has another year it wouldn’t surprise me if he leaves. He may want first team football at his age and he’d have plenty of interest perhaps from national league teams.

That’s why although I’d always liked to have seen Norris and Dennis given a run as a front two I’d doubt we’ll see it next season. With CJ suspended this weekend I suspect Saunders will partner big Luke.

 

[Higgy 2]

I assume you meant Dennis and Luke Norris.

Yep...doh!!

 

[Higgy 2]

I note pace is becoming an all consuming obsession with some people. Remember no matter how quick Rapter may carve through defenders, it won't be as quick as a defence splitting pass into the path of a striker inside the box. Therefore Walker can prove quicker in effect than Rob, the ball beats any player for speed!

Absolutely agree good one touch football and defence splitting passes are most definitely quicker than any run/dribble by even the quickest winger.
My point re pace is more in terms of defending from the front and pressing. Nigel had got this aspect embedded and working well. Depending on where he sees the press should be triggered in any given game he has had players available who are youngish, energetic and in some cases have pace. Albeit with less guile in some cases.
If Nigel is going to give the Dennis/Norris combo a chance it might take a bit of time
to come up with the right plan and embed it.
Nigel eventually got the recent system working like clockwork with everybody knowing their jobs. I suspect given the Crawley loss he will now probably experiment with strategy at least as much if not more than trying different players.
Personally I'd love it if he could sort something that would get the best out of Dennis - who does look a clever player to me. If so he'd have the conundrum of fitting Connor into the team, who is up there with Apter as the player of the year for me.