Post by stevek192 on Nov 25, 2018 12:06:01 GMT
I have to say that it was not pleasant approaching a game against an in form Charlton side on their own turf with us sitting in a relegation spot and although an improved performance on the past two games was probably important for the long term I feel that a 1-0 robbery win would have been what most would have taken every day of the week! That's how it used to be - I find it funny when I listen to "supprters who say things like "the worst Rovers team ever", "Bloody awful game" , "rubbish" and similar worded phrases. Let me make this clear If I even go back to our last relegation season in League 2 the football was far worse than is being dished up at the present time. Ok losing to Barnet was on par with the rest of DC's defeats in the FA Cup during his awful "reign" which has seen us dumped out of the most famous trophy but let us put that behind us and get back to the bread and butter football of League 1 and apart from a few games this season we can IMO consider ourselves unlucky not to be safely sat in mid table. That is not an excuse for a run of results that probably point wise is down with the worst starts to a season or the fact that DC seems to have lost his way when it comes to Team Selection and tactics.
Lets look back to last season combined and our last 33 League results which read as follows
Home P 16 W 3 D 8 L 5 F 15 A 15 Pts 17
Away P 17 W 3 D 4 L 9 F 12 A 19 Pts 13
TOT P 33 W 6 D 12 L 14 F 27 A 34 Pts 30
This clearly shows a Managerial record which is nowhere near the 40 odd percent career record of DC neither does it point to us having "dusted ourselves down and get going again". It IMO points to us not having learnt anything from previous games and a side that have found goal scoring difficult even when we had Gaffney and Harrison! As near as damn it we have scored less than 1 goal a game and yet our goals conceded is probably close to promotion form!!
I can think of seasons and plenty of then where we have been stuffed out of sight 4-0,6-0 and even some quite regular 3-0 etc away from home although I find it difficult to remember as inept a season on our own turf.but my point is that to say the players are the worst we have had is little short of rubbish and just a knee jerk reaction to poor results. I put it down to poor tactics, balance of incoming players and failure to get a rub of the green because even this season we have deserved so much more from many of the games and they have ALL been contested to the last minute.
Even yesterdays result was really a one goal defeat but for the absurb decision to send Bonham up in the last minute. You can't tell me that the presence of a goalkeeper in the penalty area adds to the chances of equalising and if you look at stats I would be surprised if it was above 2 or 3% of that tactic producing a goal!
Personally I have always been on the side of keeping DC based on our previous record of getting poor Managers but when I look at that above record I just can't really see that he is going to turn our form around and it really is such a poor record of results which would have resulted in most - no probably every football league club releasing him of his duties. Unfortunately I would now give him two games to turn it around or goodbye.
That is two home games against a very poor Gillingham side and Doncaster where only six points will really be acceptable as we really need signs that he is turning the tide.
Bonham 5 Should have done better with the second goal at a vital time just before half time, made one good block but overall had little to do.
Leadbitter 5 To successfully play wing backs you need players who can cross a ball and in that department Leadbitter just like Partington on Wednesday night does not cut the mustard. Defended Ok overall.
J. Clarke 6 Did reasonable throughout
Lockyer 6 same as Clarke but with a few more classy moments but a few more mistakes than James Clarke.
Craig 6 Very similar to Clarke and Lockyer but he knows every trick in the book
Martin - 6 didn't do a lot wrong IMO and a cracking goal which would probably have made him Man of the Match for showing our strikers how to finish with a plomb.
O. Clarke 4 Didn't get in the game at all and again rightly substituted which in my book means that he shouldn't have started in the first place after Wednesday. he has been good this season but is now drifting back to past form. I would not have Upson and Ollie in the same team as they cover similar areas and really need a creative player alongside. I would sacrifice Ollie for Rodman on Tuesday night.
Upson 5 Having seen the first goal back I would change my mind and not blame him as although it was a poor free kick straight into the goalkeepers hands it was shocking that he was then the last man back to chase the opponent who easily chipped Bonham. the faults of our three at the back and poor organisation come to mind. Overall I see a good footballer in Upson who is suffering from inconsistency due to the failure of the Manager to give only certain players a run of games. Passes the ball generally much better than Ollie Clarke and wants the ball and makes himself available. Lacks pace which is probably true of all our midfielders.
Sercombe 5 Looked confident at times on the ball but couldn't find the chances to get his potent shots away and struggled to get going attack wise and really needs to be in the central role or just behind the strikers.
Nichols 5.5 looked lively but really the service was poor to him and sometimes you have to look at the record of a striker and wonder whether the lack of goals is down to the way they are played especially when you consider his previous record along with that of Reilly and Stefan Payne. Surely they can't all be as bad at scoring?
Payne 5 One very good run and cross which was close to providing a goal in the first half but it was again a case of poor service to him and I am not convinced he really is that type of forward to do what he is being asked to do. We just don't pressurise enough as a team and so our forwards have to use all their energy chasing lost causes. I definitely would not say he didn't put effort in but it seems there has to be a scapegoat and that at present seems to be him and Upson.
Subs: Rodman 5 Some good touches but needs to get a run of games which seems unlikely under DC who seems to favour playing with wingbacks who can't cross a ball.
Bennett 4 In and out of the side and it shows as he like Rodman lacks consistency and sometimes you get the feeling he doesn't really want to be here but perhaps that has been his career?
Lines 4 Below par in the time he was on the pitch but another who is in and out of the side- hardly a recipe to get the best out of the players at his disposal.
Crowd 8 Great following considering the results and the seemingly unlikeliness of us winning the game. Backed the team throughout and applauded the players after for what was not a bad performance.
Ref 5 Distinctly average missed a definite penalty in the second half and the free kick against Lockyer which indirectly caused the second goal was a joke. the problem we have is that where as refereeing decisions alone should not affect us so much the truth is that every game is finely balanced and one bad decision can make a big difference. I don't go along with the old saying that decisions even out over a season because although I trhink that might be the case with teams near the top it is not the case for teams at the bottom.
Charlton 6 looked good in the first half hour but then created very little in the rest of the game but can see why they have a good defensive record as they are economical with the ball and make better use of the ball than we do.
DC- I think I have said enough. I am afraid that it is very much a case of in Dc I do not trust now and only my not being convinced by our owners to appoint a better replacement that I think possibly better the devil you know and Darrell has proven in the past to be able to rekindle what looks like a lost season. I fear it could be different this time as he seems unable to select a consistent team at any stage and I can only think that over emphasis on getting behind the ball is making us look better defensively than we really are and totally inept when it comes to the final third. We need more pace and creativity in the selection which should have been sorted out in the summer. instead what DC has given us is perhaps our most unbalanced team of his reign.
So we move on to two home games that fore me should decide the Managers fate but probably won't because I have doubts that the Owners can afford to pay him off. it is really difficult at present to know what to do on Tuesday because it has been so long since there was any consistency in selection that is difficult to see what would be his best team and formation.
For what its worth I would go with the following personnel for a RUN of games in a set formation and see where it takes us rather than switching every week.
Bonham
Leadbitter Lockyer Craig Captain Martin
Rodman Sercombe Upson Bennett
Payne Nichols
subs Lines O Clarke Smith Reilly Jacubiak J Clarke Matthews Sinclair
UTG
Lets look back to last season combined and our last 33 League results which read as follows
Home P 16 W 3 D 8 L 5 F 15 A 15 Pts 17
Away P 17 W 3 D 4 L 9 F 12 A 19 Pts 13
TOT P 33 W 6 D 12 L 14 F 27 A 34 Pts 30
This clearly shows a Managerial record which is nowhere near the 40 odd percent career record of DC neither does it point to us having "dusted ourselves down and get going again". It IMO points to us not having learnt anything from previous games and a side that have found goal scoring difficult even when we had Gaffney and Harrison! As near as damn it we have scored less than 1 goal a game and yet our goals conceded is probably close to promotion form!!
I can think of seasons and plenty of then where we have been stuffed out of sight 4-0,6-0 and even some quite regular 3-0 etc away from home although I find it difficult to remember as inept a season on our own turf.but my point is that to say the players are the worst we have had is little short of rubbish and just a knee jerk reaction to poor results. I put it down to poor tactics, balance of incoming players and failure to get a rub of the green because even this season we have deserved so much more from many of the games and they have ALL been contested to the last minute.
Even yesterdays result was really a one goal defeat but for the absurb decision to send Bonham up in the last minute. You can't tell me that the presence of a goalkeeper in the penalty area adds to the chances of equalising and if you look at stats I would be surprised if it was above 2 or 3% of that tactic producing a goal!
Personally I have always been on the side of keeping DC based on our previous record of getting poor Managers but when I look at that above record I just can't really see that he is going to turn our form around and it really is such a poor record of results which would have resulted in most - no probably every football league club releasing him of his duties. Unfortunately I would now give him two games to turn it around or goodbye.
That is two home games against a very poor Gillingham side and Doncaster where only six points will really be acceptable as we really need signs that he is turning the tide.
Bonham 5 Should have done better with the second goal at a vital time just before half time, made one good block but overall had little to do.
Leadbitter 5 To successfully play wing backs you need players who can cross a ball and in that department Leadbitter just like Partington on Wednesday night does not cut the mustard. Defended Ok overall.
J. Clarke 6 Did reasonable throughout
Lockyer 6 same as Clarke but with a few more classy moments but a few more mistakes than James Clarke.
Craig 6 Very similar to Clarke and Lockyer but he knows every trick in the book
Martin - 6 didn't do a lot wrong IMO and a cracking goal which would probably have made him Man of the Match for showing our strikers how to finish with a plomb.
O. Clarke 4 Didn't get in the game at all and again rightly substituted which in my book means that he shouldn't have started in the first place after Wednesday. he has been good this season but is now drifting back to past form. I would not have Upson and Ollie in the same team as they cover similar areas and really need a creative player alongside. I would sacrifice Ollie for Rodman on Tuesday night.
Upson 5 Having seen the first goal back I would change my mind and not blame him as although it was a poor free kick straight into the goalkeepers hands it was shocking that he was then the last man back to chase the opponent who easily chipped Bonham. the faults of our three at the back and poor organisation come to mind. Overall I see a good footballer in Upson who is suffering from inconsistency due to the failure of the Manager to give only certain players a run of games. Passes the ball generally much better than Ollie Clarke and wants the ball and makes himself available. Lacks pace which is probably true of all our midfielders.
Sercombe 5 Looked confident at times on the ball but couldn't find the chances to get his potent shots away and struggled to get going attack wise and really needs to be in the central role or just behind the strikers.
Nichols 5.5 looked lively but really the service was poor to him and sometimes you have to look at the record of a striker and wonder whether the lack of goals is down to the way they are played especially when you consider his previous record along with that of Reilly and Stefan Payne. Surely they can't all be as bad at scoring?
Payne 5 One very good run and cross which was close to providing a goal in the first half but it was again a case of poor service to him and I am not convinced he really is that type of forward to do what he is being asked to do. We just don't pressurise enough as a team and so our forwards have to use all their energy chasing lost causes. I definitely would not say he didn't put effort in but it seems there has to be a scapegoat and that at present seems to be him and Upson.
Subs: Rodman 5 Some good touches but needs to get a run of games which seems unlikely under DC who seems to favour playing with wingbacks who can't cross a ball.
Bennett 4 In and out of the side and it shows as he like Rodman lacks consistency and sometimes you get the feeling he doesn't really want to be here but perhaps that has been his career?
Lines 4 Below par in the time he was on the pitch but another who is in and out of the side- hardly a recipe to get the best out of the players at his disposal.
Crowd 8 Great following considering the results and the seemingly unlikeliness of us winning the game. Backed the team throughout and applauded the players after for what was not a bad performance.
Ref 5 Distinctly average missed a definite penalty in the second half and the free kick against Lockyer which indirectly caused the second goal was a joke. the problem we have is that where as refereeing decisions alone should not affect us so much the truth is that every game is finely balanced and one bad decision can make a big difference. I don't go along with the old saying that decisions even out over a season because although I trhink that might be the case with teams near the top it is not the case for teams at the bottom.
Charlton 6 looked good in the first half hour but then created very little in the rest of the game but can see why they have a good defensive record as they are economical with the ball and make better use of the ball than we do.
DC- I think I have said enough. I am afraid that it is very much a case of in Dc I do not trust now and only my not being convinced by our owners to appoint a better replacement that I think possibly better the devil you know and Darrell has proven in the past to be able to rekindle what looks like a lost season. I fear it could be different this time as he seems unable to select a consistent team at any stage and I can only think that over emphasis on getting behind the ball is making us look better defensively than we really are and totally inept when it comes to the final third. We need more pace and creativity in the selection which should have been sorted out in the summer. instead what DC has given us is perhaps our most unbalanced team of his reign.
So we move on to two home games that fore me should decide the Managers fate but probably won't because I have doubts that the Owners can afford to pay him off. it is really difficult at present to know what to do on Tuesday because it has been so long since there was any consistency in selection that is difficult to see what would be his best team and formation.
For what its worth I would go with the following personnel for a RUN of games in a set formation and see where it takes us rather than switching every week.
Bonham
Leadbitter Lockyer Craig Captain Martin
Rodman Sercombe Upson Bennett
Payne Nichols
subs Lines O Clarke Smith Reilly Jacubiak J Clarke Matthews Sinclair
UTG
