If we go down it will be the most unnecessary relegation in the history of the club. But we will have to see what the next few days brings. It can be turned round with a little investment and if that is not forthcoming I don't really understand the point of RD buying the club in the first place.
Does Roland understand the transfer window or is he relying only on emergency loans after it? A personal plea: ' Please, Roland, SCP needs some help and investment, pronto.'
Yes, it isn't like the last time we went down, where it was pretty hopeless as we were imbalanced everywhere. Whilst we might benefit from 5 new players, a couple of the right ones will probably be enough. I'm racking my brains why RD bought us too. Did he think SL reserves would provide the necessary improvement? Maybe he did!
IMO the biggest problem is that we don't seem to create enough chances.
No service.
Agree with this - Kermorgant can finish, Church can finish, albeit inconsistently, but they're lucky if they get one clear cut chance between them per game sometimes. A better striker than Church would help as he has missed 4 or 5 very good chances this season, but those misses alone would not see us in mid table safety had they been scored.
Stephens is a deeper lying playmaker type, Cousins is a shield, Jacko a goalscoring midfielder at his best but not a proper flair and vision type creative player. Harriott is horribly out of form, Green is horribly inconsistent bordering on totally ineffective, Wilson is a hard worker but not a creative player particularly, Evina is a left back, Stewart is in Leeds. Our most creative player in terms of actually laying on direct assists is Wiggins and he is a left back.
Even a really good new striker will be playing with an arm tied behind his back (to mix metaphors) if his arrival isn't coupled with some new attacking talent in midfield, imho.
By all accounts we were poor in what was a key game. I have been confident all season we would beat the drop but for the first time I now have serious doubts. I don't want to see Powell go and there is still a long way to go but at the moment we simply don't look good enough to stay up and badly need a boost - over to you RD
People blaming lack of investment and I can accept that to a point but tonight I think you've got to point at the team selection. I know Green and Harriott aren't the answer but surely a 4-4-2 with 2 natural wide players and a GOOD midfield pairing of Stephens and Cousins is a better idea than as said above, square pegs in round holes. Let's go back to basics 4-4-2 with players in their natural positions and fight for every ball. We might not win every game but we shouldnt be losing 3-0 to Doncaster. The players that won league one with record points might not be able to win the league but they are all a couple of years older and in my opinion are too good to go down without a wimper.
In other news... I really hope the FA come down hard on Millwall after tonight, a beer bottle and endless objects was thrown at Kirkland, Millwall player goes down with a head injury in the box some of our players are trying to get the refs attention but in a scramble they score.....but I would've take a point before the game but gutted because we should've won it as Llera hit the bar a minute before they made it 1-1.
On train home. That was abysmal. My heart sank when I saw the team. I have regularly disagreed with Powell's decision's this season, he has been dealt a duff hand but he cannot be entirely blameless.
We have one pairing that works, Stephens and Cousins and once again they are split up to accomodate JJ who spent the game chasing shadows. His legs have gone sadly, I like the lad but he won't keep us up.
Make no mistake, whilst we made them look good, Donny were a poor side and could easily have beaten us by 6. We had one shot all game (miles over), our first clean tackle was in the 80th minute and we barely strung a pass together. Yann started well but gave up when we let in the second and I actually thought it was Church who was subbed at half time (partly because he did so little in the second half, partly because Evina did so little in the first). We have 4 new players in the squad but none deemed a sufficient improvement on what we have to make the starting 11 in a weakened side.
All 3 CB's were poor and Lennon looked like a CB playing his first ever pro game out of position.
We are in the mire and I am struggling to see how we turn it around. All well and good going for players now but how many will be excited about joining a team becoming entrenched in the bottom 3.
Plenty of games to go and I won't give up, but many of the players looked like they had tonight
In other news... I really hope the FA come down hard on Millwall after tonight, a beer bottle and endless objects was thrown at Kirkland, Millwall player goes down with a head injury in the box some of our players are trying to get the refs attention but in a scramble they score.....but I would've take a point before the game but gutted because we should've won it as Llera hit the bar a minute before they made it 1-1.
Hope they go down, horrible club.
At least that's a result - no one won and possible FA investigation
Player waves to fans = He must be leaving. Ha, OK.
Christ, get a grip you lot.
There is a LOT of football still to be played - infact had it not been for our FA Cup successes and a poor pitch then we would have possibly already played enough football to be in a position our squad truly reflects (ie - not in the relegation zone).
So much can happen. There are 20 odd games left FFS! Its only the end of January.
(PS - If Yann is sold, then ignore everything I've written above cos we will be well and truly fucked and I will join the mass suicide movement with you lot)
In other news... I really hope the FA come down hard on Millwall after tonight, a beer bottle and endless objects was thrown at Kirkland, Millwall player goes down with a head injury in the box some of our players are trying to get the refs attention but in a scramble they score.....but I would've take a point before the game but gutted because we should've won it as Llera hit the bar a minute before they made it 1-1.
Hope they go down, horrible club.
that's all very well but which side are you on? powell 100% or powell out?
Whilst everyone was sitting in their front room bitching and toy throwing, 400 odd of our fellow fans have a 3 hour plus miserable trip home.
Well done guys and girls, proud of you.
Knowhere for anyone to hide after this one. 3-0 Flatters us really. Doncaster arent't that good. I heard a few Rover's fans walking to the ground saying that they thought we'd beat them tonight, how wrong they were.
We were struggling from the off. Before the goal we had a goal line clearance. The goal was a poorly defended chip in to the box following a corner and the penalty, hard to say, but the game was over as a contest at that point. The third was easy and fun for the home fans, and when our fans copied the Rover's fans with an ironic cheer, every time we touched the ball it said all we needed to say. Some of our lot left after the penalty, sadly they knew it was not going to improve and it didn't. I genuinely don't think that 10 men was the problem. They played like a team playing together and the passing was slick and they kept the ball with ease. They didn't really need to get out of 2nd gear to ease past us. Now very worried and not looking forward to Hillsborough much more than i was when i heard the draw. I doubt Wigan have much to fear on Saturday!
If we go down it will be the most unnecessary relegation in the history of the club. But we will have to see what the next few days brings. It can be turned round with a littlelarge investment and if that is not forthcoming I don't really understand the point of RD buying the club in the first place.
Sometimes the darkest moments can prove to be turning points. Powell needs to clear his head, he's clutching at straws and picking the wrong one's. His principal when he first became manager was to play attractive attacking football. That was in the distant past. We will not create chances or score goals the way he currently plays. Harriot and Pritchard have been huge losses this season. Pritchard got our most assists last season. Their confidence is shattered and for that I blame Powell, the same (to a lessor extent) applies to Sordell and Green. Powell has certainly had bad luck with injuries (Solly & Yann) the dreadful pitch and lack of investment. But you make your own luck and at the moment he is not helping himself, us, or the team. He needs to go back to basics, best players in best positions, 4 4 2. If Jacko has to play, play him wide, don't mess with Cousins/Stephens. Two decent signings and Powell coming to his senses, will see us climbing the table. We've had some decent results and matched the best, we are not a million miles away from being a decent side.
Airman is right. What is going on? Why has this bloke bought our club and gone through the transfer window spending £0:00? Of the loanees, one had ten minutes game time tonight. So what is the point?
And the attitude was way off tonight. However lacking in quality we are you usually do get proper effort. When the fans don't wait to give the team a clap it must be bad. Why though?
Finally why are we playing Cousins and Evina as wide men in a 442? Jacko, bless him, looks like he is officially past it and our one visible loanee looks like a non goal scoring younger version of him. So why was he signed? I'm confused.
Grief for Church is a tad unfair. Suarez would struggle to score for us with that level of non service. Nobody even looks like creating the merest hint of a shooting opportunity.
This all needs sorting pronto or we are in very deep doo-doo.
IMO the biggest problem is that we don't seem to create enough chances.
No service.
"No service" - you put it succinctly, and are spot-on. Our midfield is physically and mentally weak; despite other clubs' admiration for Stephens, I haven't forgotten him being brushed off the ball in vital areas four times in the first 20 minutes of our pre-season friendly at AFC Wimbledon. He has improved since then.
Yet, for 18 months we have been unable to seize and retain possession in midfield, to string more than three passes together, to thread incisive balls to the strikers, or to cross accurately. No wonder Church is ineffective. The muddle was typified a few weeks ago at home to Sheffield Wednesday when Kermorgant waved his arms in despair when Harriott got in the way of his shot.
Our players are of League One or lower Champs quality - that is plain to see. But not to have an accurate shot at goal in 90 minutes is inexcusable at any level.
Sometimes the darkest moments can prove to be turning points. Powell needs to clear his head, he's clutching at straws and picking the wrong one's. His principal when he first became manager was to play attractive attacking football. That was in the distant past. We will not create chances or score goals the way he currently plays. Harriot and Pritchard have been huge losses this season. Pritchard got our most assists last season. Their confidence is shattered and for that I blame Powell, the same (to a lessor extent) applies to Sordell and Green. Powell has certainly had bad luck with injuries (Solly & Yann) the dreadful pitch and lack of investment. But you make your own luck and at the moment he is not helping himself, us, or the team. He needs to go back to basics, best players in best positions, 4 4 2. If Jacko has to play, play him wide, don't mess with Cousins/Stephens. Two decent signings and Powell coming to his senses, will see us climbing the table. We've had some decent results and matched the best, we are not a million miles away from being a decent side.
so it had nothing to do with splitting up the midfield pairing, having one wide right & a defender playing wide left when the natural wide men were sitting on the bench.
We actually had two shots tonight. First half from Jacko at least ten feet over the bar and second half from Church at least 25 feet over and also wide. Both were very long range. Neither was what you'd call a chance and i dont recall a single chance being created. This is not the only thing wrong but is what will see us relegated ifit is not fixed. Does make you wonder how they pass the time in training.
Comments
Stephens is a deeper lying playmaker type, Cousins is a shield, Jacko a goalscoring midfielder at his best but not a proper flair and vision type creative player. Harriott is horribly out of form, Green is horribly inconsistent bordering on totally ineffective, Wilson is a hard worker but not a creative player particularly, Evina is a left back, Stewart is in Leeds. Our most creative player in terms of actually laying on direct assists is Wiggins and he is a left back.
Even a really good new striker will be playing with an arm tied behind his back (to mix metaphors) if his arrival isn't coupled with some new attacking talent in midfield, imho.
Hope they go down, horrible club.
A player needs to be played in his own position - it's what he's been trained to do.
We have one pairing that works, Stephens and Cousins and once again they are split up to accomodate JJ who spent the game chasing shadows. His legs have gone sadly, I like the lad but he won't keep us up.
Make no mistake, whilst we made them look good, Donny were a poor side and could easily have beaten us by 6. We had one shot all game (miles over), our first clean tackle was in the 80th minute and we barely strung a pass together. Yann started well but gave up when we let in the second and I actually thought it was Church who was subbed at half time (partly because he did so little in the second half, partly because Evina did so little in the first). We have 4 new players in the squad but none deemed a sufficient improvement on what we have to make the starting 11 in a weakened side.
All 3 CB's were poor and Lennon looked like a CB playing his first ever pro game out of position.
We are in the mire and I am struggling to see how we turn it around. All well and good going for players now but how many will be excited about joining a team becoming entrenched in the bottom 3.
Plenty of games to go and I won't give up, but many of the players looked like they had tonight
Christ, get a grip you lot.
There is a LOT of football still to be played - infact had it not been for our FA Cup successes and a poor pitch then we would have possibly already played enough football to be in a position our squad truly reflects (ie - not in the relegation zone).
So much can happen. There are 20 odd games left FFS! Its only the end of January.
(PS - If Yann is sold, then ignore everything I've written above cos we will be well and truly fucked and I will join the mass suicide movement with you lot)
http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/20140128-powell-reaction-doncaster-1321917.aspx
Seriously though - hope they go down too.
So a mid season break doesnt really help then with players fitness?
We were struggling from the off. Before the goal we had a goal line clearance. The goal was a poorly defended chip in to the box following a corner and the penalty, hard to say, but the game was over as a contest at that point. The third was easy and fun for the home fans, and when our fans copied the Rover's fans with an ironic cheer, every time we touched the ball it said all we needed to say. Some of our lot left after the penalty, sadly they knew it was not going to improve and it didn't. I genuinely don't think that 10 men was the problem. They played like a team playing together and the passing was slick and they kept the ball with ease. They didn't really need to get out of 2nd gear to ease past us. Now very worried and not looking forward to Hillsborough much more than i was when i heard the draw. I doubt Wigan have much to fear on Saturday!
Two decent signings and Powell coming to his senses, will see us climbing the table. We've had some decent results and matched the best, we are not a million miles away from being a decent side.
And the attitude was way off tonight. However lacking in quality we are you usually do get proper effort. When the fans don't wait to give the team a clap it must be bad. Why though?
Finally why are we playing Cousins and Evina as wide men in a 442? Jacko, bless him, looks like he is officially past it and our one visible loanee looks like a non goal scoring younger version of him. So why was he signed? I'm confused.
Grief for Church is a tad unfair. Suarez would struggle to score for us with that level of non service. Nobody even looks like creating the merest hint of a shooting opportunity.
This all needs sorting pronto or we are in very deep doo-doo.
Yet, for 18 months we have been unable to seize and retain possession in midfield, to string more than three passes together, to thread incisive balls to the strikers, or to cross accurately. No wonder Church is ineffective. The muddle was typified a few weeks ago at home to Sheffield Wednesday when Kermorgant waved his arms in despair when Harriott got in the way of his shot.
Our players are of League One or lower Champs quality - that is plain to see. But not to have an accurate shot at goal in 90 minutes is inexcusable at any level.
CP = numpty.