Let's talk about the Carlisle United game

[i_ateallthepies]

Clean sheets do matter in the long run because there will always be games when the ball just won't go in at the other end. Without clean sheets we get nothing from those.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

We were good today really enjoyed it. I do agree that we concede too many but we looked a good side on the ball today.

I think we have the chance to address weaknesses in the window. I'd like to see a holding midfielder as priority, a replacement the type of Tomlin admittedly we won't get as good and an extra striker to give us a direct option.

[Chris Black come back]

Today was case in point. After we conceded they had another shot I think from same lad who scored, that Mitchell did well to save. We put ourselves in a difficult position last 10 minutes.

[BigH]

At the risk of stating the obvious, I expect Carlisle to attack us down both flanks with Armer and Ellis being particularly busy exploiting the gaps between Knoyle, Maxwell and the back three. I also think they'll have too much for us in the middle of the park.

Also, look out for a neat training ground move. A free kick 'earned' in the area between the corner and the edge of the box, passed in low towards the penalty spot where Stretton will be waiting to fall over the leg of one of our defenders and earn a penalty.

0-3.

Absolutely delighted to be proved so utterly wrong!

Let's hope we can carry it on at Orient.

[Bessie Red]

Today was case in point. After we conceded they had another shot I think from same lad who scored, that Mitchell did well to save. We put ourselves in a difficult position last 10 minutes.

We do tend to get punished for mistakes regularly,  only one missed header and the ball was in the back of the net. Overall though we fully deserved the win against a team in current phenomenal form, I was expecting a loss today to be honest.

[monkeytennis]

What a great game. I’ve never been so pleased to be wrong in my life

[ForsolongaRover]

They chased and tackled and pressured in a way they have not done for a long time. They seemed less restricted to a rigid plan - has the penny dropped for Schofield?

[scawsby steve]

Performance of the season for me. I didn't make the Northampton game, and we attacked brilliantly at Grimsby, but against a team nowhere near as good as Carlisle.

Today, we made a very strong team look ordinary, and not one single Rovers player had a poor game.

If we could play like this every game, we'd beat any team in this league.

[foxbat]

so glad to get another PvO spanking.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Rather good wasn't it!? Williams mom by a distance for me.

Biggins and Hust on it today too which made a big difference. Miller had his marker in his pocket and pleased to see the players backing each other up across the pitch for a full 90. We deserved a clean sheet too.

Unbeaten in 2023 and 2 wins on the bounce. Onwards and gradually upwards.

[selby]

  We set the bar higher today in all the important areas, individually, as a team, and especially off the ball and regaining possession.
  Now the hard bit, repeat, repeat, repeat. and build on the confidence games like that should encourage.

[Canadian Rover]

Very good game today. Really enjoyed that.

[Branton Red]

Well that was a refreshing surprise today.

Rovers were excellent all round. They made a very good team look very poor.

Never looked in any danger of conceding and their goal was completely out of the blue.

Best Rovers have played in ages.

Great stuff!

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We saw the full benefit of the formation today including playing out from the back and mixing it up for that bit of variety.

Encourages Williams to stride out from defence knowing he has the outlets with our touchline huggers. Why do we need to play the ball to a midfield player when the centre half can make the progressive pass to put us in an attacking position? 

Good to see Hurst and Maxwell having more effect down the left hand flank plus Seaman having a better game down the right. Close and Biggins worked better in tandem today with both winning more than their fair share of second balls turning over defence into attack.

Work in progress and very encouraging. 

[Thorney]

Just want to see some positive attacking play and not 90mins of slow passing around the back then hoof it to an isolated miller.

Hope to come away from the ground today saying that I have enjoyed a game of football.

But if I'm honest, I fear I will not

So glad that I was wrong. Really enjoyed that. Last 10mins after the goal got a bit nervy but adds to the excitement.
Massive improvement in every department today. Ro-shaun was a man possessed today.

My only negative would be to get Knoyle back to rwb instead of seamen. He's just better in all honesty.

[drfchound]

I was surprised by the improved performance today.
Credit where it is due,  we were much more effective in all areas of the pitch.

[danumdon]

Fantastic to see a good game of footy today, i said earlier in the thread that i hoped we could get a fast start as we had done for the previous two matches, this we did really well and more importantly we managed to maintain it for long periods in the game. it looked to me like we learnt the lessons from the previous two matches over this period and we managed to hold our shape much better and pushed up as a unit, the back pass was noticeable by its absence and all three central defenders we're looking to move the ball forward rather than look for the easy pass back to JM, with all the midfield also on it we more than matched a side who tore us apart at their place .

The whole formation seemed to click into place today, both wing backs had very good games and managed to push on and support better, this allowed Hurst and Moly to really show their worth and they created enough panic in their defence for us to have had an easier win in the end.

Really hard to pick any one individual out as i thought the whole team raised their game to a level we all knew they had in them.

The defence looked strong and concentration level were maintained for virtually the whole game, their late goal flattered them in the end, we knew they would try to pick their game up second half but we kept them to meagre scraps in front of goal, the free kick they we given when it looked like Seaman was fouled leading up to their goal was very poor from the ref.

Central midfield of Biggins and Close really stood strong today, they both put their bodies on the line won tackles and managed to penetrate their midfield at will. Moly and Hurst managed to get forward and support Miller and were both unlucky with chances, the miss from Hurst looked an easier finish then the one he buried from the very clever cut back from Miller.

So we know they have it in them to make one of the better footballing teams in this league look very average, im sure they also know and DS must also know know that this needs to be a benchmark, if we can add strength to this team there is no reason why we cannot still challenge the autos.

Great game, nice to leave the ground entertained and pleased with the effort, well done fellas.

[drfc1951]

I was surprised by the improved performance today.
Credit where it is due,  we were much more effective in all areas of the pitch.

Thought Seaman was good today and Thursday.Who would you play instead of Knoyle at right centre back

[SydneyRover]

3 from the last 5 games, second best form in the top 8.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I was surprised by the improved performance today.
Credit where it is due,  we were much more effective in all areas of the pitch.

Thought Seaman was good today and Thursday.Who would you play instead of Knoyle at right centre back

Yes, he did well today and looks like he's benefitting from the game time. It can't be easy for him, Hurst and Maxwell who have been in and out for spells until recently.

On Thursday it looked like he was struggling to last the pace but looked more on it today. Sometimes his decision making is a little suspect but hopefully he'll keep learning along with Hurst and Maxwell.

At some point, probably Knoyle will be able to move back to the wide right wing back role but Seaman's getting some valuable minutes.

[Sammy Chung was King]

Nice we’ve won again but can’t afford to go to overboard. Still things to work on, weaknesses that need fixing. Positive two on the bounce, now try make it three.

[scawsby steve]

3 from the last 5 games, second best form in the top 8.

It's actually better than that, Sydney; it's 3 wins from the last 4 games.

[drfchound]

3 from the last 5 games, second best form in the top 8.

It's actually better than that, Sydney; it's 3 wins from the last 4 games.

Three other teams in L2 have won three of their last four.

[ravenrover]

Not seen anything mentioned about the drop ball incident in 2nd half over near the East stand. I thought when play was stopped and restarted it was an uncontested drop ball. From the west it looked one of our lads blocked the Carlisle player trying to contest and they ended up with a free kick. Anybody throw any light on that please?

[ForsolongaRover]

Not seen anything mentioned about the drop ball incident in 2nd half over near the East stand. I thought when play was stopped and restarted it was an uncontested drop ball. From the west it looked one of our lads blocked the Carlisle player trying to contest and they ended up with a free kick. Anybody throw any light on that please?

That’s exactly how it looked on iFollow - Robbie the commentator, saw it exactly as you did. It was difficult to believe how the ref could give a foul, but of course there was also the “handball” he gave against Seaman as he was pushed to the ground and fell on the ball which led to their goal.

For some reason, thinking about this reminded me of something rather odd that we were doing In the first half - trying to “lob” Holy, their goalkeeper. It seemed almost as though they had been told to try it - yet he is 6 feet 9!! You would have thought that keeping it on the deck would be a rather better plan!

[andyst79]

Not seen anything mentioned about the drop ball incident in 2nd half over near the East stand. I thought when play was stopped and restarted it was an uncontested drop ball. From the west it looked one of our lads blocked the Carlisle player trying to contest and they ended up with a free kick. Anybody throw any light on that please?

The challenge by Seaman also, when I first saw it I thought there was absolutely nothing in it and was complete shithousery by the Carlisle captain trying to get him sent off . Looking at the replay ,although there was no malice in the challenge, I've seen players sent off for less