Bristol Rovers vs Charlton Officially Official Match Thread

I think that Ayunga had by far his best game for us yesterday. Grant is always a convenient scapegoat and is actually quite promising. I think that goal was due to an indecisiveness however that is prevalent among the squad. So often you see our players react slightly slower than opposition or are not quite on the same wavelength as each other. I think this is still a hangover from the Garner era and a sign of them not quite knowing their own games. When Oztumer plays we look a more cohesive unit because he is happy to step up and direct play. It’s no coincidence that Westbrooke looks a much better player when Oz is on the pitch. I think there is a lot more to come from this squad but a lot of them lack maturity. I thought Barrett also did ok when he came on.

"As for the manager, there did not seem to be any urgency when we go behind. Formation changes? Maybe we are limited in the type of players we have as substitutes"

That's the bit I find baffling, it's almost as if BG's returned and if Plan A doesn't work i.e. hit it long to the two strikers, there's no Plan B. Why bring on Rodman with 2 minutes of normal time to go.

Tisdale's got a big week coming up, 3 tough looking away games and the need to start making transfer moves.

Day must’ve called Keepers ball, otherwise I can’t see why Grant would leave it to go in like that.

The comment just above, by Quarters I think, is spot on. He was on the right side because that’s where he was told to play after the subs. I thought he did OK out there. He does a lot of tidying up in front of the back four as well. He’s unlikely to grace the Prem but he is a decent player at this level and seems to be improving.

I haven't scrolled through thread (yet, will do after) as I don't want to be influenced. I just thought to post after slept on it.

Leading up to the match, I was optimistic. Rochdale managed to hit 4 in midweek against them, Accy had beaten them before that. We had put on a decent display v Sheffield United, our set piece play was threatening and I liked that Ehmer was not included with a credible orthodox replacement. I thought our starting line up looked balanced, both in mixture of youth and experience; and in players in correct positions. What we weren't balanced in was, form.

Day makes his 3rd debut in a week. A league, debut.... apart from a howler in him, I generally like his approach. 1 own goal, 1 deflected goal, 1 goal from corner, on each debut is relegation luck isn't it!?

Alfie captain. Hmmmm.... Heart instinctively likes that appointment, but Head says is that because there's no other realistic candidate. Both are potential worries. Especially when you're a few points away from relegation battle.
I liked his contribution though, and for me was in the mix for a man of match award.

We play 2 up front! Hallelujah! 2 bone fide strikers. A first, this season? Certainly never seriously explored and persevered under BG. Unfortunately, JA didn't have his best performance, but a raw product can be worked with. Hopefully a working progress.....but we
need a Brandon partner striker striking NOW.

Westbrook. He gets the gig because there's literally no one else in central midfield with a creative pass in them in our squad. Granted, some of his dead ball deliveries are scintillating, but in open play we have to rely on the crossing of Hare, Grant or Leahy. Zain did play a lovely through ball which got cut back in second half, but my main observation is he slows up play with picking his passes. It's a shame he was our only creative outlet, I would have brought Rodman on much earlier (for upson) as we were severely lacking in counter attacking options.

Our mid and forward line lacked pace. Tempo was slowed when we had the ball and our passing movement and basic technical abilities were poor and lacking moving forward. We were easy to defend against. That's credit to Charlton, who went about their business efficiently and could have easily been 1 or 2 up in first half save squandered chances.

A disappointing day. I thought we had some decent moves in us (McCormick chance) but we too hampered by an attack lacking pace and creativity. We desperately miss Oz, Nicholson, Daly..


Some tough matches approaching, we definitely need 1 or 2 new striking options at least. In Tis we trust, but Charlton are a good example of where you need to be to realistically compete physically at this level, and we are way off that atm..

You win as a team an you lose as a team.

This team will get better as they bond an Tis puts his mark on them IMO.

He’ll not be so much finding faults but be lookin for remedies. 

And Daly missing at the moment.
At moment we lack players who can break thru lines, either with guile or pace.

and there in is th problem pal, we can’t all have more, well not straight away anyway. 

Everyone wants ta live on top of th mountain, but all th happiness an growth occurs while yer climbing it. 

Given we're now playing 3 games a week will we ever have everyone fit, even just travailing to Crewe, Oxford and Peterborough seems a tough week, traveling wise, without playing football when you get there.

Perhaps we should go all out for the first two games and then just stick the 11 men still standing behind the ball next Saturday?