Perhaps my view of the last match was not typical, but I really did think that the Swindon display marked a change for the better, so that my expectations from the midweek match were for more of the same.
But when the flood lights went out I thought perhaps that it was a message from The Almighty that the contest was so dull that it needed to brought to a premature conclusion.
I don’t watch Rovers just to see them win, no matter how they do it, and my devotion to their cause will not stop. However, expecting me and everyone else who follows their fortunes to genuinely suffer the miserable experiences which so many of the recent matches have delivered is nearing my limit of endurance. If the club believes that Schofield’s brand of football will fuel the club’s recovery, perhaps they need to take more notice of the decline in attendances and ask themselves where the entertainment value is.
For the first time for a long while I feel I am unlikely to be able to summon the enthusiasm to listen to the commentary on Saturday.
I don’t hope they will lose. I do hope they will perform more like a Rovers team, prepared to make every effort to play to win even if they don’t manage it. It’s a good job that Mitchell’s commitment is rather greater than that of the majority of his team mates.
1-1 Lavery/Hirst
DPL v Sutton U
posted on 17/2/23
Who knows again. Sutton have good form lately. Is it just luck we haven't conceded and won the last 3 games? I used a random score generator and it's going 1-2 to Rovers. Miller or Rowe.
posted on 17/2/23
I see that Sutton had 22 shots on goal in their last game which is about a month’s worth for Rovers.
The defence has improved just because Olowu is there, although Rowe did not seem as solid as usual vs Barrow, so Sutton will provide a serious test.
In the first game of the season they worked very hard and Rovers will have to up their effort to get anything out of the match.
posted on 17/2/23
I did not feel as negative as Donaldo after what I saw of the Barrow game, but did see less enthusiasm and effort than in the previous game. Of course, there was the usual problem of not scoring goals, and this match creating even fewer chances. At times there seems to be a reluctance to shoot, in the end the delay allowing Barrow to block any attempt. Olowu seems to have added some backbone to the defence, and the wing-backs are helping, with Maxwell’s defensive ability getting better.
I’m hoping for a win, but think a 1-1 draw the best we can hope for with Lavery scoring if he starts, otherwise Hurst.
The wins have come when I have not been concentrating on the Rovers’ game but watching a Premier League or Champions League on my iMac, and having my iPad tuned to iFollow. Maybe I should not watch the Rovers at all….
🤭
posted on 18/2/23
2-1 to Rovers. G. Miller to finally end his dry spell. Lavery if Miller not playing.
posted on 18/2/23
Who knows?
Sutton 2-1 Rovers
Miller G to score ⚽
posted on 19/2/23
My theory of not watching the game would lead to a Rovers win - did not work!
However, watching Wolves losing at home to the Cherries was as frustrating as watching the Rovers - lots of possession and good approach play but no goals. Cherries had one real attempt on goal and won 1-0.
🤯
posted on 19/2/23
The view through the rose tint was that Rovers lost because Sutton were bigger than us and played to their strengths. It’s as though we are virtuous and it’s all unfair.
Looking at some of the full match replay there were some good passing movements, but not always in the direction of the Sutton goal. Tackling is not too much in evidence and things seem to be less focused once they get in ants around the penalty area.
I wonder what the Head Coach had to say at half time which led to us playing less well in the second half?
I listened to his post match interview which was crammed full of technical terms as opposed to conventional football language with a smattering of “moments” and “second phases”, whatever they are. He also referred to a “penalty incident” involving Hurst. The ref supposedly excused not giving a penalty by saying that Hurst “did not go down”. Schofield felt that his words implied that if he had, it would have been given. Having seen the incident, admittedly from a distance, there seemed no fuss about it from any of the players or the crowd and it did not even look like a foul… very strange.
posted on 19/2/23
I do not know who edited the Extended Highlights I just watched (I do not have the mental strength to watch the whole game replay as Donaldo does!), and Miller's glaring miss and the "penalty" claim are not on the highlights - and who gave the commentary? - obviously not Rovers or Radio Sheffield.
posted on 20/2/23
I feel that it would misrepresent my current sentiments if it was thought that I could sit through the entire match replay. No, I just managed to skim through and found the Hurst “penalty” incident, which no one apart from Schofield and ? Gribble saw as “blatant”. To Schofield’s credit, he does not usually make excuses though.