Doncaster Rovers (H)

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

I don't think anyone was checking their results 

Just lamenting that if we'd have done our bit over the last few days, we'd have been right in it

[Whitesince63]

2 minutes ago, Lostock Whites said:

Abysmal is putting it lightly

What more can I say, I think the fact we are 3rd in the table after dropping so many points this season is a miracle in itself.

Unbeaten run who cares, dropped points again Blackpool, Doncaster and Rotherham recently. If we won this games we'd be knocking on the door for top 2.

It’s not a miracle Lostock just an indication of how poor L1 is this year and what a chance we’ve missed. I can’t remember when I last went into a game actually confident we’d win it against bottom or top. In fact I fear we’ll still be in L1 next year because I just don’t see us winning through the play offs. 

[1969]

Just back from that bore fest 

That is 97 minutes of my life I won't get back 

My player rating are

Bonham had nowt to do 5

Chistie offered nothing I've seen more pace in a flat hedgehog time to hang up his boots 2

Toal slows us down he's turning into a very poor player get rid 3

Johnston best of the defence but distribution terrible 5

Conway plays to safe nothing going forward 3

Sheehan made sure he was marked all the time offered nothing 3

Dempsey tried but with no help struggled 6

Gale one trick pony his so called crossing was pathetic 3

Bairstow never a winger so have some sympathy for him 4

Dalby never really got into the game 4

Kenny same as Dalby 4

Subs no impact 

SS got it totally wrong and needs to stop putting square pegs in round holes

 

 

 

 

[Stig]

30 minutes ago, JimmyRiddle said:

The selection was awful, trying to shoe horn players into positions.

Sheehan and Dempsey in midfield, b'jesus.

At times we were 4-1-1-4, and 5-5, fucking mental.

No wonder we had no cohesion.

Hardie got another I see too 

Dempsey isnt good enough as a conventional midfielder, super sub at most.

Then we have Simon's Erahon and Fernandez sat on the bench. What's Simon's done wrong?? I know his form went off a bit, but he not had a sniff since.

Dempsey was ok tonight, but needed to play with Simons or Erhahon. As it was the midfield got overrun.

Didn't help having 3 strikers and a very soft winger on the pitch. Was like a FIFA line up.

Schumacher needs to figure out a well balanced team asap before these play offs. 433 would be my preference with 3 proper midfielders battling to get hold of the game 

[Eddie]

13 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

100%. That was right down with Northampton in the stinker rating and it was on the manager. 

That formation was a shambles, and it was mind boggling that he persisted with it after half time, never mind for another 20 minutes. Christie and Burstow on the right was horrific.

When that lad came to the club he said he hated it last season at Hull because he was played out on the wing. If SS felt Christie had to play, put Tutu in front of him. It says a lot also about how little confidence he has in Apter.

The whole 97 minutes was a shapeless, error ridden shambling crock of shite, the only honourable exception was Dempsey, head and shoulders the best of what were a really bad bunch.

Couldn’t be more spot on. Sometimes there’s nothing the manager can do about it - tonight every bit of it is on him.

Christie needs to hang his boots up now, he’s embarrassing. So to not only play him but put Burstow in front of him was a horrendous idea - that right side was as bad as I’ve ever seen us put out for a game.

Then you’ve got Dalby playing in the 10 role - we can’t even launch the ball because it’s going over his head and being lost by Kenny.

Dempsey isn’t a centre mid, and if he is it isn’t alongside Sheehan.

As for Conway - I don’t know where this love in comes from. Tutu is a better full back.

To not only set up that way, but then watch it until the 65th minute to change it was mental, it was so fucking obvious.

Then he does change it and takes the only player on the pitch off that can get hold of the ball and make things happen (Sheehan) but leaves Dempsey on who is knackered, on a yellow and nowhere near as good on the ball. He also can throw Burstow on because he’s used him up trying to play as a right winger from the start.

I’m not for one minute making this more than just about tonight, but taking tonight in isolation, that’s fucking shocking from the manager.

Oh and what the fuck has happened to Toal - the guy was a calamity. Absolute headless chicken.

Final point. If you’re going to start Rodrigues in one of the last 2 games, how do you come to the conclusion that the right one was Rotherham away and not Donny at home? Another nuts decision, he’d have been so much more effective today!

Fuck it, we’re still going up but that was an unbelievably frustrating way to spend a Tuesday night (and the ref is a massive twat too).

[Johnnyrotten]

2 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

If they play well I have high hopes for this line up. Seems a bit reactive but it just might work. 
COYWM

Same as the previous 37 games really!  It might work in a few of the last 9 games, it might not.

We don't know which games Dalby or Burstow will nod one in or one of the wingers will curl one in from 20 yards or a corner will get bundled in.  The line up or formation is rarely the catalyst, its in the lap of the gods because MOM one week isn't worth his place the next.  L1 players playing against L1 players. 

[jmjhb]

I already forgot we played tonight.

Onto Port Vale's flapjack of a pitch...do we have to?

[Zog1]

I think we need to go with 3-4-2-1, it's the only formation i can think of which SS has used before and suits us, especially with our best wingers out. 

 

Actually uses the wing backs as wing backs and plays to their strengths. 

Edited March 17 by Zog1

[FrancisFogarty]

Awful. Even 98 minutes couldn’t come to our aid.

Only Dempsey came out of that with so much as a plus. We didn’t have a clue even when they were blowing out their arses after an hour.

[worthy10]

We have been boring for a long time and people are voting with their feet. It's just not much fun. In our group of season ticket holders the attendance levels are low. Easier to not go than be frustrated/bored.

Limping into the playoffs as we are is deflating.

SS has failed to impress me. He doest really know his best 11 and seems to have a punt on some players based on 10 minutes at the end of games. He doesn't have a style of play or seems able to change formations or tactics effectively in games.

Ah well, role on Saturday....

 

Edited March 17 by worthy10
.

[Lostock Whites]

23 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

It’s not a miracle Lostock just an indication of how poor L1 is this year and what a chance we’ve missed. I can’t remember when I last went into a game actually confident we’d win it against bottom or top. In fact I fear we’ll still be in L1 next year because I just don’t see us winning through the play offs. 

Yeah.

Like I know we have been on this unbeaten run, but I cannot remember even at our own home ground having a commanding performance or even scoring a goal in the first half.

Actually I have just had a look. With exception to the Barnsley game (which we also had for hang on for painfully).

We haven't scored in the 1st half at home since the Rotherham Boxing Day game, which actually came in the 46th minute.

Doncaster, Wycombe, Burton, Mansfield, Blackpool, Burton, Orient & Northampton all at home and no goal in the 1st half.

We are a reactive team not a proactive one. We can only start playing properly when we go a goal or 2 behind and/or in the dying minutes of the game.

The players in the last few games just look so slow and reactive, lose out on so many 1st and 2nd balls in the middle. Not seeing things before they unfold. Ball watching, both defensively and attacking.

I'd serious consider changing to a 3 in the middle and if that involves a 532 then I'm all for it. 

Gale & Apter have been so disappointing.

Edited March 17 by Lostock Whites

[Leyther_Matt]

Absolutely dismal. 16 players all trying to do their own thing and looked like they’d never met before.

I really do wonder what they do in training. Sick of seeing opposition teams seem organised and well-drilled, knowing exactly what they need to be doing when the ball is in a certain area. We just try to use the element of surprise, but of course everything comes as much as a surprise to our own team as it is the opposition.

Not necessarily looking to single him out, but Burstow looked lost on Saturday even when we were on top and tonight he just looked so hopelessly out of place. I don’t think he knew where he was supposed to play, and it showed. Far from alone in that, mind, with so many players just shoe-horned in with no balance or evidence of a greater plan.

I know it was always going to be a big ask to maintain momentum for another couple of months when it all seems done and dusted, but we can’t afford to end up having to look over our shoulders or head in to the play offs in a malaise like tonight.

And of course with the Cardiff result tonight we should have only been six points away from them if we’d not made such a mess of Saturday and tonight.

50 minutes ago, Dr Faustus said:

17 mins from car to home with 4 way traffic lights in place

24 minutes, and that was even after staying to the bitter end!

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, kent_white said:

Another stellar performance from the Welsh Pirlo! 

Not one of his best displays but still our best player in possession.  

Some superb passing long and short in both halves, that one to put Conway through the best.

He's played better but if he doesn't play we're even worse in possession.

[Dr Faustus]

4 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Absolutely dismal. 16 players all trying to do their own thing and looked like they’d never met before.

I really do wonder what they do in training. Sick of seeing opposition teams seem organised and well-drilled, knowing exactly what they need to be doing when the ball is in a certain area. We just try to use the element of surprise, but of course everything comes as much as a surprise to our own team as it is the opposition.

Not necessarily looking to single him out, but Burstow looked lost on Saturday even when we were on top and tonight he just looked so hopelessly out of place. I don’t think he knew where he was supposed to play, and it showed. Far from alone in that, mind, with so many players just shoe-horned in with no balance or evidence of a greater plan.

I know it was always going to be a big ask to maintain momentum for another couple of months when it all seems done and dusted, but we can’t afford to end up having to look over our shoulders or head in to the play offs in a malaise like tonight.

And of course with the Cardiff result tonight we should have only been six points away from them if we’d not made such a mess of Saturday and tonight.

24 minutes, and that was even after staying to the bitter end!

Silver lining bud 😂 small victories count… just not in the league

[MancWanderer]

2 hours ago, CambridgeBWFC said:

I wish we had 11 shots on target 

Ah soz. I was watching it on my phone on 4G and read it as shots on target. Kept buffering so just assumed I’d missed some on target. Makes sense now

[TrickyTrotter]

Blackett Taylor out  with a serious injury.  

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, kent_white said:

Nowhere near good enough tonight. Can't remember their keeper making a save. Slow all over the pitch. My nemesis robbing a living yet again. Though Christie did alright while he was on. Shite.

We all see it different but god Christie was poor, went backwards with every pass bar that 40 yarder to set Kenny away.  Lack of pace shocking, and with Burstow similarly slow on that side it was hard to watch.

Their keeper saved one from Apter, I don't remember ever thinking we might score though.

Got away with it because Doncaster looked far more likely to score but credit where its due the two CBs defended really well at times, they won't get any credit for it coz its only Doncaster, but if they'd been off their game we'd have lost tonight.

[desperado]

Players averaging 3/10, SS losing the plot and everything about our approach being wrong… I can’t wait till it clicks for the play-offs, we’ll be on fire. 😂

For balance, I can’t disagree that that wasn’t frustrating, disappointing, turgid at times and weak in certain areas of the park (the right especially).

[jmjhb]

1 minute ago, desperado said:

For balance, I can’t disagree that that wasn’t frustrating, disappointing, turgid at times and weak in certain areas of the park (the right especially).

There's always a meltdown somewhere when we don't win 3-0

[desperado]

Just now, jmjhb said:

There's always a meltdown somewhere when we don't win 3-0

I just deleted my last paragraph which pretty much said the same thing 😂

Happy Clapper 

[TM Trotter]

I can't help but think SS is playing the tactical/personnel bingo machine to avoid giving other playoff contenders a load of predictable data, and prevent them giving us the schooling Des Buckingham gave Evatt.

But then, playing like that, we'll be lucky to limp to the top 6 come May.

Some of those selections were bizarre, and it showed. Really, really disappointing. 

Onto the Vale cabbage patch, yikes.

[burnden]

Just home what a load of shite that was , schumacher says we played well he must have been watching summat different than me.

[kent_white]

17 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Not one of his best displays but still our best player in possession.  

Some superb passing long and short in both halves, that one to put Conway through the best.

He's played better but if he doesn't play we're even worse in possession.

I respectfully disagree. I think we had more cutting edge when he was out of the side and have lost our way a bit since his return. 

Having said that - I can't remember who we played last weekend so I wouldn't put too much stock on my opinion! I just like to vent! 😁

[JimmyRiddle]

Without Cozier Duberry and Blackett-Taylor, we need to go 3-5-2. Apter/Gale)Cissoko arent good enough, just use them as subs.

Get Conway and OT as wing backs with 3 central midfielders and 2 up top.

[Ani]

Just back not reading through.

Whoever thought Christie and Burstow on the right was a good idea needs shooting.

Kenny ok, Dempsey not as bad as the rest, the rest were shit.