Rovers seem more unpredictable than ever. It would be good to be able to classify the Schofield era as having had a good start. The failure to beat Colchester may be rationalised into a mixture of encountering an improving team on what was a day of their good fortune combined with 3 of their best shots of the season. But as a team Col U have failed against numerous teams with less ability than we would like to believe Rovers possess. Our problem has been seen as the failure to gel as a team as opposed to a lack of individual talent. But is this delusional?
Our players seem to have skill, but the lack of determination, slowness to adapt to and adopt the coaching that is now available is worrying. An aspect of being good in a team game is the ability to combine with others. It is of course possible that what they are being coached to do is too difficult for them to execute. What we assume DS seeks is the “expansive football" that McSheffery was doubtful about. So is it too much for them, I wonder?
Walsall have been in alarmingly good form for some time now - top of the 10-match table with 17 points to Rovers’ 20th with 8 and I just cannot draw together any evidence to suggest that they will not get the better of Rovers on Friday. Rowe is likely to be back, but it seems unlikely that Anderson be there, so we will have to hope RSW pulls his weight. Will Schofield choose to do without Faulkner again? Does he still believe that Taylor is worth a place on the bench? I cannot say that I am entirely at one with his team selection thus far.
Walsall have only fairly recently dropped into League 2 and my memories are of losing against them more often than not, so I am pessimistic and cannot persuade myself that it will be any better than a 0-2 loss.
DPL v Walsall
posted on 2/12/22
This was an unbelievable performance for its mediocrity. It looked as though the players were deliberately acting out how bad they could play, totally ignoring what they might have learned. It was as bad as the worst displays under McSheffery.
Williams provided us with a fine example of what not to do in his contributions to the Walsall goals.
Taylor and Agard contribute little if anything. Close passes sideways and often does not look for space to move into off the ball. Clayton was one of the few who showed some competence. Miller kept going as usual, but they often seemed disengaged from the action.
They played like a engine in neutral, placid, unmoved by outside influence, calmly incompetent.
Schofield has to take responsibility. What did he say at half time?
posted on 3/12/22
I agree with Donaldo, and I stopped watching after the second goal. R-S Williams has always given me near heart attacks, and he nearly went the whole way today. I have now given up any hope of promotion.
Thank goodness it has been a very exciting World Cup that has given me faith in the enjoyment of "The Beautiful Game". A few 'big teams" playing "Reserves" in their final group games and losing!
I'm not sure about the USA tomorrow - they have defended well, but have scored only 2 goals. The Dutch defence has been making mistakes, so who knows.
Here's to England on Sunday!
posted on 3/12/22
The USA team is an example of a team that has been built and coached to be stronger than the sum of its individual parts. It appears at the moment that the Rovers is quite the opposite - or that some of the parts are just not up to the task. Let's hope that things improve soon!
posted on 3/12/22
USA limits ruthlessly exposed by the Dutch
posted on 3/12/22
The USA game - some mates invited me to see the game (they have a much bigger TV than we do), but I did not go as I'd be cheering for the Dutch! I was there when England lost to Italy in the Euros and a couple were cheering for Italy...
So far, the USA defence had done well, but the Dutch did show their exposure to good wing play and to not tracking all the attackers. USA fans should also see why Pulisic does not start regularly for Chelsea.
Now can the Aussies upset the Argies??? Highly unlikely, unfortunately (although I've have good friends in both countries from previous business travel )
posted on 3/12/22
The USA game - some mates invited me to see the game (they have a much bigger TV than we do), but I did not go as I'd be cheering for the Dutch! I was there when England lost to Italy in the Euros and a couple were cheering for Italy...
So far, the USA defence had done well, but the Dutch did show their exposure to good wing play and to not tracking all the attackers. USA fans should also see why Pulisic does not start regularly for Chelsea.
Now can the Aussies upset the Argies??? Highly unlikely, unfortunately (although I've have good friends in both countries from previous business travel )
posted on 3/12/22
Sorry about the double send!
posted on 6/12/22
Having listened to the two post match interviews with Schofield and Close, both felt we were the better side until the “final third” which is easy to say since it is an opinion. My impression was that Walsall were more intense in their approach throughout. I think it was Close who admitted that the team “started slowly” - again(!), but no one asked how he squared this with them being the better team until the goal was conceded.
Schofield stuck to what was really a coach’s view of the game saying that he could not criticise the effort, application and the way they were trying to play and generally relating the performance to how they coped tactically in fulfilling the requirements of “building the play”, balance etc,
However he then admitted a lack of speed and killer instinct. He also seemed to concede that they had not put in enough effort, but said he had spoken to them about this after the game and you wondered why he had not raised it at half time, because instead of renewed determination, they came out like a team already leading comfortably.
So whilst he effectively acknowledged their shortcomings, you worry that the more physical and competitive requirements may not figure as prominently in his scheme of things as is necessary in the rough, tough world of League 2.
Close, whose interviewers were more challenging of his views than they were with Schofield, also began by uttering similar platitudes as his boss, but then went on to effectively recognise considerable shortcomings. He affirmed his faith in the coach and of the squad’s ability to turn things around given time. His personality may well be similar to that of Schofield and his contributions in the game fell well short of adventurous.
Most of the individuals in the team seem capable performers at this level when they put themselves out. But most of them need strong leadership to get them to perform more energetically and competitively. Perhaps they also need faith in the system that they are being educated to operate and perhaps the Head Coach needs to be more forceful, rather than telling them gently where they went wrong when it is too late after the match is lost.
posted on 7/12/22
As always,Donaldo gives a good analysis, rather than platitudes.
I hate to say it, but on Saturday I'll be watching Morocco vs. Portugal hoping the underdogs win so we do not have to face Portugal if we beat France.
I've never liked Ronaldo as a person (not his talent) after he screamed at the ref to give Rooney a red card in - was it 2002 or 2006???. The guy invented. "diving" in his first time at Man U, and now I'm thinking he is tarnishing his reputation - it is all about him, not the Portuguese team.
I love Portugal as a country, having had a great time there, but I hate the team when Ronaldo is playing. Probably illogical, but I'm sure most of you know what I mean.
posted on 8/12/22
Here are the up-to-date prediction table results:
Rovers 0 : Kings Lynn Town 1
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 36 >>>>>> 36
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 50 >>>>>> 50
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 40 >>>>> 40
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 49 >>>>>> 49
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 45 >>>>>> 45
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 19 >>>>>> 19
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 239 >>>>> 239
Grimsby T 1 : Rovers 3 (Miller)
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 4 >>>>> 36 >>>>>> 40
PDXMickey> 4 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 3 >>>> 5 >>>> 16 >>>>> 50 >>>>>> 66
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 40 >>>>> 40
Mooligan>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 49 >>>>>> 52
Nookie>>>> 3 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 45 >>>>>> 48
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 19 >>>>>> 19
>>>>>>>>> 14 >>>>> 4 >>>> 3 >>>> 5 >>>>> 26 >>>>> 239 >>>>> 265
Colchester Utd 3 : Rovers 0
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 40 >>>>>> 40
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 66 >>>>>> 66
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 40 >>>>> 40
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 52 >>>>>> 52
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 48 >>>>>> 48
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 19 >>>>>> 19
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 265 >>>>> 265
Rovers 0 : Walsall 2
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F > O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>>> 3 >>>> 5 >>>> 12 >>>>> 40 >>>>>> 52
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 66 >>>>>> 66
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 0
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 40 >>>>> 40
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 52 >>>>>> 55
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 48 >>>>>> 48
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 19 >>>>>> 19
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 4 >>>> 6 >>>> 5 >>>>> 15 >>>>> 265 >>>>> 280
Mickey had a full house for the happy outcome at Grimsby whereas there was no pleasure really in being right about what Walsall did to us last Friday.