“The only way is up" fits our situation, assuming that we can make way enough to climb up from 24th spot. The results today leave both Crewe and Gillingham just 2 points better than Rovers, having now played 3 and 2 games more. So how immensely valuable would a win at Morecambe be.
My initial hope was that if GMcS can sustain what may be construed as the improvement which he has brought about we could thereby avoid defeat at Morecambe. Scoring 4 goals in 4 games is twice the average number Wellens teams’ achieved and then generally with more players to choose from. I also drew some comfort from the fact that only one Sunderland player actually scored a goal from open play against us compared with the 5 they got against Wednesday.
Morecambe have had a run of poor results, but context and further research brings a perspective which is more favourable to them. Their last league win was at Fleetwood on 20 November, but apart from the last two at home, a draw v Fleetwood followed by that loss to Crewe, the previous 4 added just a point (from Charlton at home) to their tally. But although they lost away to Portsmouth and Sunderland, based on my view of the highlights, Sunderland in particular were rather flattered by their score with several goals coming from shots which sneaked their way through crowded penalty areas. However, allowing MK Dons to score 4 without reply at home seems a major setback.
Looking at their highlights, my impression is that they have some useful attacking players and they do seem to have been a bit unlucky in most of these games. This was not really what I was hoping to discover.
So analysis leads me to an unwelcome conclusion, that despite some improvement, Rovers will have a tough time getting a point tomorrow. Given the league table, a win would be a Godsend, but …
I think going for a 1-1 draw would be my most optimistic hope, so that’s what I’ll say, Bogle/Rowe.
DPL v Morecambe
posted on 2/1/22
1 - 0 Rovers Hiwula
posted on 2/1/22
Just the scrappy odd Goal game! We've solved our goal scoring problem though!
posted on 2/1/22
We should not forget that it was an excellent first half of this game, but losing 3 players who had a major influence on that lead with nothing but Dodoo Cukur and Ravenhill to replace them was like going down to 8 men. A team made of players of the quality of the first 2 plus the consistently incompetent Hiwula could lose you a 6 goal lead.
This is not McSheffery’s fault, it was Wellens who signed them all! Cukur and Dodoo are two of the very worst players that have ever turned out for Rovers. Remember too that Wellens cleared out players like Gomes, Halliday and Lokilo, all of whom had more about them than the duds that so regularly let us down now. The Board made a mistake in choosing Wellens, but you can understand why they might have been influenced by a lot of the fans, fans most of whom would not acknowledge they have to share “responsibility”. So many of them will now turn on McS with no thought as to how we arrived here.
posted on 3/1/22
Have to agree with that. The difference was Gardener, Barlow and Bogle in the first half and losing them in the second half. Disappointing nevertheless. A big learning curve for GMac . Most of his games have been of contrasting halves but I still think he will prove to be an astute choice.
posted on 3/1/22
Sorting out the fitness and injury issues probably as, if not more, important than new signings.
posted on 3/1/22
After the Sunderland game GMcS said he did not start certain players coming back from injury and/or Covid because they would not last 90 minutes. He was certainly correct in that.
For about 30 minutes against Morecambe I was excited not just by goals, but by the determination, energy, and fighting spirit shown by certain players. Barlow and Gardner played just about their best minutes for the Rovers, and Bogle made me wonder more "What was RW's problem with him?" I was also thinking "Why is Hiwula so reluctant to shoot after creating chances for himself?" The Radio Sheffield commentators on iFollow said he scored a number of goals while at Coventry.
While the energy was dropping off a little and Morecambe were getting into the game, at halftime I was thinking we would win 4-2. Then we lost Barlow and Gardner, and the body language after their second goal made me think there was a good chance we would lose.
I'm not sure Ravenhill and Cukur were the best choices as subs, and the commentators suggested Cukur was going back to Watford. Maybe GMcS was giving him one last chance to show some worth. I see the DFP gave him a rating of 1, and assume it was that high as they do not do negative ratings!
GMcS's comments that he had identified players that did not currently have the mental strength for a relegation struggle. Obviously some "youngsters" who have come through the ranks are in that group, and in the second half Smith and Galbraith were well-off what we expect for them. Are they thinking "I've had enough of this and want to play elsewhere".
While most are reluctant to use injuries as an excuse, I've never known of a team that has suffered what the Rovers have. As some of you have said, there has to be something wrong with fitness training at the club.
posted on 5/1/22
It seems that an opportunity to deal with the fitness problem has opened up with Paul Green’s departure. I wonder now whether what McS sees as the lack of spirit amongst some of his players when things turn against them could result in a serious look at how Coppinger’s responsibilities square with this.
PG’s popularity and energy as a player made his appointment, presumably by Wellens, very welcome by many of the fans, but rather like Wellens himself, being an industrious big-hearted player does not make a man good at whatever job he next takes in the game.
McS is very diplomatic, but it seems clear that what most of us could see in suffering the misery of these performances, is all too obvious to him as well and he is effectively starting from scratch after the disaster presided over by his predecessor. In fact, the more information that emerges, the more I feel that the club’s senior management neglected and delayed suitable action. You only had to listen to what Wellens said to question whether he had the capacity to fully understand the problem, let alone fix it.
posted on 6/1/22
It's going to take quite some time to reverse the damage done to Rovers by the Wellens appointment. The board can't be absolved of all the blame though. There seems a gulf between them and the playing and support staff. There definitely needs to be extra representation at board level. It appears GM is almost a new broom but you wonder how tainted he is by being part of the structure previously. Interesting the comments about No26. Just what was his role over the past months and what's it going to be now? The fitness and conditioning issue looks like it's being addressed. However to get all the pieces in place so that we can compete and survive is a very tall order for GM. So far his manner and approach give me confidence for the future even if its League next season.
posted on 7/1/22
My feeling at the beginning of the season was that we would struggle until Christmas (correct) but that we would then have a strong 2nd half, sufficient to pull us to mid table. It does appear that we have some major underlying issues and I am much less confident now. The January transfer window is clearly critical but what player with options would want to join a struggling team in Rovers' position, unless a premium is paid on wages, which I can't see happening? I do think that a return to league 2 is now the most likely outcome and hopefully we can avert further disaster and rebuild from there.
posted on 7/1/22
Mooli continues to lead the way with the only correct forecast of the Morecambe game, though no one got the score in either game or the scorer.
I reckon the bookies will be getting a good return on Rovers games, but wasn't that always the case?
Rovers 0 : Sunderland 3
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 37 >>>>>> 40
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 47 >>>>>> 50
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>>>>> 6
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 22 >>>>> 25
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 74 >>>>>> 77
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 58 >>>>>> 58
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 67 >>>>>> 67
LixmKing> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 9 >>>>>>>> 9
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 12 >>>> 0 >>>>> 12 >>>>> 320 >>>>> 332
Morecambe 4 : Rovers 3 (Barlow)
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 40 >>>>>> 40
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 50 >>>>>> 50
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>>>>> 6
Crazy>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 25 >>>>> 25
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 77 >>>>>> 80
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 58 >>>>>> 58
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 67 >>>>>> 67
LixmKing> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 9 >>>>>>>> 9
>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 332 >>>>> 335