EFL Trophy Rovers v Leeds U21

[Rockford's Love Child]

Gelhardt has actually started games for Leeds and has scored a few in the Premier League.

Jameson started ok, but the defence fell to pieces in the middle of the half, even accounting for the quality of Gelhardt's finishing. I don't think Turnbull and Simeu will be having sleepless nights.

I think the standout player has been Rhys Hughes. A brilliant goal, and a superb set piece for the equaliser.

 

[Ian]

3-4. Couldn't get it clear and the goal came as no surprise.

It's been a good game with plenty of goals but defensively we have been poor.

 

[Ian]

3-5. Ohh dear.

 

[Sparky]

All the more reason to get Davies fit as competition for the centre halves as I’ve never been convinced by Byrne

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I am not really sure what we learn from these games. At least the squad players got some minutes.

Defensively we were really poor, but with players out of position, or only half-fit, and no established partnerships in the side, it is difficult to judge. However, I agree with Sparky that Byrne and Jameson are nowhere near the class of the centre halves who are starting games.

Hughes had a good first half and Nevitt looked quite sharp.

 

[Ian]

FT: 3-5

Leeds have some really good attacking players that took advantage of our makeshift defence and really pushed on in the second half to put the game to bed. Good runout for the players nevertheless and a good performance from Hughes but I was disappointed with other performances around the park. Defensively messy and cut open far too easy, Nevitt and Merrie not great, McAlear, Lewis and Nolan all pretty average really.

 

[bigmart]

McAlear after a bright start with us has struggled quite a bit recently and was deservedly dropped on Saturday. Nolan has done nothing so far and looks a poor signing.
Think games like this highlight that after the first choice eleven there is not much else

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

McAlear after a bright start with us has struggled quite a bit recently and was deservedly dropped on Saturday. Nolan has done nothing so far and looks a poor signing.
Think games like this highlight that after the first choice eleven there is not much else

I think it is too early to write McAlear off, but I agree that we will need luck with injuries this season, the same as most sides at this level.

 

[bigmart]

Worryingly Micky has said Hawkes has a bit of a twinge, hopefully a few more days rest and he will be fit for Saturday

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Worryingly Micky has said Hawkes has a bit of a twinge, hopefully a few more days rest and he will be fit for Saturday

He had a knock on Saturday when he went off.

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

Difference between teams was match fitness in second half. Could have subbed half the team, no game time!
No difference in defending all bad!
Nightmare night for coaches!

Very niggly, lost it both players and ref.
Should have been entertaining except that this supposed to be league two players.

 

[Ian]

 

[Boz]

Reasonably good first half from Rovers, but disappointing second half. We were much less competitive switching to 442. Micky didn't seem to want to make progress, could have strengthened the side when Leeds went down to ten, but opted for inexperience. The only surprise was he didn't give Hockenhull some match time. Btw, I'm not being critical about the indifference to this tournament, no love for it myself, but usually we've tried to make progress. Concentrating on the league is fine by me!

Pluses for me were Hughes, with some decent play and a very good goal, Jamieson who was the pick of the defenders and did try to pick a pass and carry the ball out on occasions and a number of youngsters getting game time. Minuses were the central midfield, particularly Nolan who wasn't quick or sharp enough and slowed the game down to our detriment. While generally he did ok back in the full-back role, O'Connor choosing to nearly always send the ball backwards from a throw-in when there were other options was exasperating,

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I did not think Jamieson played well tonight. Defensively, I thought both centre halves were really poor. We conceded five goals and several were avoidable.

Interesting that in his post match interview Micky states quite bluntly that the squad players are not good enough. Brave in terms of dressing room harmony, so either trying to provoke a reaction from some players, or just brutally honest ?

 

[Boz]

I did not think Jamieson played well tonight. Defensively, I thought both centre halves were really poor. We conceded five goals and several were avoidable.

Interesting that in his post match interview Micky states quite bluntly that the squad players are not good enough. Brave in terms of dressing room harmony, so either trying to provoke a reaction from some players, or just brutally honest ?

I felt the defence lacked an organiser and certainly could have done better for some of the goals. Defending is a team responsibility and the lack of protection from the midfield was a factor in how exposed we got. Once you get talented kids like Leeds have in sight of our goal, there is always going to be a risk.

I'll save listening to Micky's interview until the morning. However the side we put out tonight were in a combination that we hadn't picked before and included a number of fringe players. The first choice side has taken a number of games playing together to finally start looking good enough, so I don't think it's particularly helpful to be so negative about your back-up players on the basis of just one game.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I felt the defence lacked an organiser and certainly could have done better for some of the goals. Defending is a team responsibility and the lack of protection from the midfield was a factor in how exposed we got. Once you get talented kids like Leeds have in sight of our goal, there is always going to be a risk.

I'll save listening to Micky's interview until the morning. However the side we put out tonight were in a combination that we hadn't picked before and included a number of fringe players. The first choice side has taken a number of games playing together to finally start looking good enough, so I don't think it's particularly helpful to be so negative about your back-up players on the basis of just one game.

Of the team that started tonight, O'Connor and Merrie are clearly good enough if played in their correct positions, as is Nevitt despite his shortcomings. Hughes is very promising, McAlear is young and will surely improve, and Lewis is capable of coming into the first eleven and doing a job.

However, if either of the two first choice centre halves are replaced by Jamieson or Byrne I think we will concede more goals, irrespective of the midfield protection. I doubt Mellon's reaction is purely a response to one game, and more a reflection of the performances of some individuals in the medium term.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

From Micky's interview, I gleaned the following:
1. He is desperate to keep his first eleven fit and fresh, realising that the rest of the available squad is not challenging them. (I agree. We have quantity and quality only in goal. Elsewhere we are lacking, exacerbated by a few injuries.)
2. He is frustrated at the lack of competition and realises what another couple of injuries could do to the team's form. (It could cost him his job.)
3. He will surely be starting to make the case for a strengthening of the squad in the next transfer window.

 

[Charlton1975]

It is a pity that this competition has become so derisory, as it has held some amazing memories for Rovers over the years (lets not forget we were in the final only last May and gave a fantastic account of ourselves). In fact, my first ever Wembley Rovers experience was when we lost 3-2 v Birmingham, only to come back the next week and beat Bolton in the play off final.

I completely appreciate that MM is focused on the league, albeit I am still not convinced that he has the skills to get the best out of this talented group of young players, however, to come out with that post match comment is really poor in my opinion. Who is that going to help?, Not those players thats for sure. That said, he is a football manager and I am not, so lets see if it has the desired effect!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It is a pity that this competition has become so derisory, as it has held some amazing memories for Rovers over the years (lets not forget we were in the final only last May and gave a fantastic account of ourselves). In fact, my first ever Wembley Rovers experience was when we lost 3-2 v Birmingham, only to come back the next week and beat Bolton in the play off final.

I completely appreciate that MM is focused on the league, albeit I am still not convinced that he has the skills to get the best out of this talented group of young players, however, to come out with that post match comment is really poor in my opinion. Who is that going to help?, Not those players thats for sure. That said, he is a football manager and I am not, so lets see if it has the desired effect!

Have you been following recent events ? We have been excellent for weeks and last night's match was a meaningless game involving fringe players.

 

[Sparky]

Just watched the goals. Poor defending at times although Leeds were fairly clinical. Disappointing Nevitt couldn't get a goal plus I guess when Micky is criticising his senior squad players he means the likes of Byrne and Nolan. The latter was always likely to struggle given his age, lack of match practice and that it was against a bunch of kids. A shame Burton only got 60 minutes and it won't help his chances of being close to the first team.

Of course it was Micky who signed the likes of Byrne and Nolan but you don't always get them right. I can understand why a few are querying Micky's motive for his comments. We have an awful lot of games in between now and the January window, and won't be able to bring any recruits in before then. The likes of Hawkes does pick up injuries as we saw last season. Morris is only just back. We really need to wrap the back four in particular in cotton wool. Again recruitment could be questioned because we signed players in the summer specifically for a wing back system, which hasn't worked, meaning we have no real wingers except Morris and Hawkes - if one of those gets injured it will upset the balance of the current system that is working.

Just need to keep everything crossed we don't get many injuries or suspensions.