League Two Rovers (3) v Salford (4)

[Rockford's Love Child]

Just checking the score - why have Lewis and Jolley come on but not hawkes?!?

You tell me.......

 

[bigmart]

They bullied our defence and we could not cope with their 3 4 3 system, losing O'Connor and Norris was a blow and hopefully neither injury is serious.
We do look threatening going forward and have goals in us but we were poor defensively and need a defensive/holding midfielder as Hendry and Lewis are not suited for that role.
Free scoring Notts County and Wrexham up next, we really could do with cover/competition for the full backs quickly and getting a few players up to speed

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

There is so much to say!
First of all today our 4-3-3 only put pressure on our full backs who were poor today O'Connor was injured early and should have gone off. Leake was left exposed because Salford exploited the width that we gave them. We couldn't get full backs forward, the strikers were not as good as Tuesday, and we struggled to keep possession.Salford played 4-4-2 and always had a man spare, overloading in midfield and on the width.
We should have changed shape well before half time. Ours wasn't working even though we were ahead.
The injuries are a worry even though Yarney did ok. We missed Norris, and try as they could Jennings and Dennis couldn't be as effective.
They fell over at every opportunity, and the ref bought it! He was dreadful! The definite penalty shout, second half and some of the tackles. A really disappointing performance from the official! And the blatant time wasting! And it was obvious!
To score three times and still lose, says an awful lot about our tactics, shape and our shortcomings against a useful Salford team, who were better on the day. They had done their homework, we hadn't!

4-3-3 only works when your defence is solid and keep possession!

 

[Sparky]

I wasn’t at the game but Dawes is a very attack minded coach and you wonder whether we were a bit too positive today and too open?

 

[ADD]

Disappointing that and our defence was really today poor although Hendry is a class player at this level.

Yes we are playing a far more entertaining brand of football - how many times last year did we score 3 goals two games on the spin but even so.... Not sure myself it was entirely down to the formation - that had an impact of course but also there were poor performances - Davies and Turnbull weren't exactly at their best either. Also I remember hearing Gareth Roberts on Tuesday being I thought overly critical of Leake but I suspect Roberts sadly was right as Leake was simply awful today. Several times he was there right on his man (nothing to do with formation and each time was comprehensively beaten. Yarney by contrast I thought looked quite composed when he came on. Also the passing was poor throughout with so so many overhit balls/ crosses it was unreal and disappointingly far too many balls lumped upwards to nobody in particular.

All that said we had 3 excellent chances second half where we could/ should have scored. Jennings with a really poor shot after he had done the hard part in turning his man and Dennis hitting the ball into the ground when he miscued. Also Dennis was so close when stretching to an excellent cross field ball. On another day we would score from at least one of them.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I did not find the second half entertaining. Quite the reverse. More significantly, we need to start picking up some points and a 1-0 victory will always be preferable to a 3-4 defeat.

Leake had a poor game but can't be judged solely on one match where we were set up with the wrong tactics for pretty much the entire ninety minutes. When Dawes decided to hook Leake we actually got worse, as we effectively only had three defensive players on the pitch.

Morris and Hawkes were used as attacking wing backs and there was no cover from an orthodox defensive midfielder. As a result, the centre halves were left completely exposed and we were overrun.

 

[Ian]

I wasn’t at the game but Dawes is a very attack minded coach and you wonder whether we were a bit too positive today and too open?

I think this is a worry. We were completely exposed defensively today and it did not make good watching. We'll see goals this season but on this evidence it wont always be for the whites. I don't even think Salford are that good but they ripped us to pieces today. The 2nd half was a bit of a mess and the injuries did not help but there has to be a plan b when things aren't going for us during a match. The subs didn't make much sense and the decision making during the game wasn't good. Dawes needs to quickly get a grip defensively because against decent teams, we'll struggle.

That Wrexham game could be a right humdinger as both teams can score but dont know how to defend.

 

[Boz]

It doesn’t feel like we have enough players in certain areas to cover for injuries. Think that after the ITK suggested 4 in over a month ago think we only ended up signing Yarney? Hockenhull also out on loan at Chorley, what a weird signing that proved to be.

 

[Sparky]

hopefully the injuries to LOC and Norris aren’t serious as they are two positions where we don’t have decent cover for. CJ can play as a number 9 but he’s better suited playing deeper.

 

[Sparky]

I think this is a worry. We were completely exposed defensively today and it did not make good watching. We'll see goals this season but on this evidence it wont always be for the whites. I don't even think Salford are that good but they ripped us to pieces today. The 2nd half was a bit of a mess and the injuries did not help but there has to be a plan b when things aren't going for us during a match. The subs didn't make much sense and the decision making during the game wasn't good. Dawes needs to quickly get a grip defensively because against decent teams, we'll struggle.

That Wrexham game could be a right humdinger as both teams can score but dont know how to defend.

Dawes mentions post match that the defensive errors were unlike us. Yes we were good defensively last season but that’s 1 clean sheet in 5 games this season and we’ve conceded two or more in three of those.

 

[Ian]

Dawes mentions post match that the defensive errors were unlike us.

I'm not so sure. I guess we will find out in due course. Couple of tough games to come, let's see how we navigate them.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Dawes said Norris has a foot injury, but they are unsure whether it is a recurrence of his previous problem. O'Connor turned his ankle.

You feel that Norris will be absolutely crucial to us this season, with his ability to lead the line. The pattern of play disappeared in the second half when he went off.

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

I think that the momentum from Tuesday gave us a boost for the first twenty minutes, and then Salford began to use the space offered because of 4-3-3, which was more rigid today. The interplay, attacking options were snuffed out. Salford started to dominate play. Their second goal, with the substitutes didn't help and we were exposed every time when turnovers happened.
4-3-3 is not working, and already losing two home games, doesn't bode well. We have shown in a couple of games that we can compete and play some decent football. But basics to win games are score goals to win and deny the opposition goals to not lose. We did one, but we' were completely hopeless with the other!
We do have the talent and balance to not play 4-3-3, the sooner the better for me!
Notts county next, we cannot go there and be so open!

 

[frenchrover]

RLC is right in saying that Norris is absolutely crucial to us this season and we can only hope his injury today does not keep him out for too long, however I do think that there is scope for Dennis to cover any absence of Norris as was demonstrated late on when Dennis played further forward and in fact was unlucky not to score.

 

[dollar'sbloke]

Not only is Norris or a similar new signing absolutely vital, it was telling that in his absence Jennings offered a better physical presence up front than anything last term. On the downside the defensive set up and I don't mean the back four is now the opposite of Mellon's careful approach.
The camera made it a hard watch today

 

[drwhoman]

Disappointing. Obviously I did not see the game being, the middle of the night in Oz, but when some of the commentary here from folk who are usually so positive say it was a mess, it was a mess! It sounds as if we need more in midfield defensively. The only loan signing we have made so far is Leake so maybe Dawes and his supports need to get on the phone with the end of the transfer window not far away, particularly with the injury situation.

 

[ONIGP]

Leake had an absolute mare today. He was directly to blame for at least 3 of the 4 goals. Worse still he didn't seem to learn at all as the game went on and continued to leave massive gaps between himself and the 24. Even after the first 2 goals he wasn't even keeping the 24 in his line of vision. The worst defensive performance I've seen sine the first half of Jameson"s debut. Shocking that Dawes didn't take him off at, or before, half time. Second half was a shambles, not helped by Norris leaving the pitch. The best replacement to retain the formation would have been Hemmings, who was sat in the stands.
While it sounds logical to say I would rather have a 4-3 than 1-0 win or 3-4 rather than 0-1 defeat, today makes me feel otherwise. I'm seriously worried about Dawes' tactical acumen. I now need to persuade my dad that it can't be this bad again before the Wrexham match!

 

[Goody Two Shoes]

I think it’s a tad unfair to single out individuals for our defensive woes yesterday. The midfield was by-passed (non-existent) far too easily and opportunities to put in challenges were shirked when they were close enough (the gap between Leake and their 24 was indeed massive at times, so much so that you could have shoed in half of the midfield). Salford were far more tigerish (how often did they stop our forward momentum by committing a foul; some may call it cynical but it’s all part of being savvy and playing a ref who was easy to play). Salford also have some real quality in midfield and going forward.
Two key turning points were the injury to Norris (the concern amongst those present was palpable and there was a definite sense of foreboding), with conceding so early in the second half immediately putting us on the back foot.
If it’s any consolation (at least it is for me), I’m not walking up Prenton Road West contemplating how dull the game was; each to their own on that one and at least we’ve got “goals, goals, goals”! Yes, of course I’d rather be winning games., but if we only absorb the negatives it’s unhealthy (a balanced diet and all that).

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I still think Leake is a good prospect and will be fine if he is managed correctly. If you leave a defender one v one against one of the better wing backs in the division, or doubled up at times, and don't give him any protection he will struggle. Davies and Turnbull also had uncharacteristically poor games yesterday due to being left exposed.

 

[bigmart]

I still think Leake is a good prospect and will be fine if he is managed correctly. If you leave a defender one v one against one of the better wing backs in the division, or doubled up at times, and don't give him any protection he will struggle. Davies and Turnbull also had uncharacteristically poor games yesterday due to being left exposed.

Leake was consistently beaten yesterday very easily and several times especially in the first half was quite narrow giving Hendry a lot of room but he rarely had any cover at all and 4 3 3 is leaving the defence very vulnerable