The things that were wrong tonight

[Filo]

Jones kicking was terrible, gave possession away multiple times

Wright panics when closed down, gives possession away easily

Smith try’s too many worldy passes, gives possession easily

AJ looked lost

Richards try’s to take the world on, loses possession easily, shooting was powder puff

Simmoes runs around a lot with out doing anything

Fej not a back to goal forward, loses possession because the ball won’t stick

[Michael Shaw]

So what can Andy really do about it all with our current level of injuries? It is hard to see a way out. The whole team should not need retraining and it's not just an isolated problem.

[DearneValleyRover]

I think we could have changed both formats and tactics to fit the opposition and personnel. We don’t have the players at our disposal to play out from the back yet we did and got punished. The galling part was that Oxford looked a better team when we beat them at home than they did tonight

[since-1969]

Tell me as I can not understand, why would you not keep yourself available for selection when you’ve played nearly all season and kept the team ticking over into playoff place ?even if your the manger . Andy Butler roll your sleeves up it’s time to do go to work , and not just play at it !!!

[the vicar]

The first thing we did wrong today was, we got on the bus

[Chris Black come back]

We started quite brightly but faded as soon as the first goal went in. Our confidence is very fragile. I haven't looked at all the stats but I cannot remember last time we conceded first and then avoided defeat. There appears to be an issue here.

[PDX_Rover]

We have wingers. Why not use them as wingers? Oxford did it every attack and caused mayhem.

[the vicar]

The defence all of them was given the ball away through playing out from the back and it made us look stupid at times.  The midfield tried to pass the ball but kept giving the ball away.  The front lads looked scares to go forward and created very little, and has to do it all from distance.  Play like this on Saturday and it will be a cricket score

[GazLaz]

Injuries are killing us, hard to hammer the team at the minute.

[roversdude]

I think the defence looked fragile due to problems higher up the pitch, our midfield was non existent and poor old Fey may as well have stayed at home, we gave him nothing to feed off and as mentioned earlier he is not a back to goal type.
Smith was shocking tonight, Halliday was left one on one with a very good winger who won the day.
We knew how good Barker was from the first game and just let him run at us.
I’m not sure if we improved after the break or they took their foot off the gas knowing it was job done

[Draytonian III]

Injuries are killing us, hard to hammer the team at the minute.

Well said that man.

[since-1969]

Injuries are killing us, hard to hammer the team at the minute.

YES you are right so Butler should put in his boots and help out and maybe the players could see that he has a plan !!
 


Well said that man.

[Bessie Red]

Bostock, Bogle, James & a fit Sims not playing doesnt help. We are a different team when they are all on the pitch.
At the moment if we can get people fit and stay fit the following should see us right:
Jones/Balcombe
Halliday
Wright
Anderson
James
Smith
Bostock
Copps
Fej
Sims
Bogle
Subs:
Lokilo
Richard's/Tyrese John Jules
John
Greaves
Amos
Robertson

[scawsby steve]

The first thing we did wrong today was, we got on the bus

That's right, Dave; then the next thing we did wrong was not getting off the f*cking bus.

[SydneyRover]

We are right at the pointy end of the season with many problems and feelings are running high we need to cut the coach and the team a bit of slack and give them support, they will be suffering just as much or more than we are.

[Move DRFC]

Balcombe should be playing. Unsettling yet another position by putting Jones in was the wrong call IMO.

[Bailey Vickerage]

Balcombe should be playing. Unsettling yet another position by putting Jones in was the wrong call IMO.

didn’t see anyone stating Jones after the other 4 games he’s played. He’s a young lad who’s just played his 5th league game in pro football and has done excellent barring the distribution errors today which he will no doubt learn from. Even apart from the mistakes today he made some excellent saves which prevented the game finishing 5 or 6 nil. Cut the lad some slack!

[ForsolongaRover]

Jones certainly plays like a lad, whereas Balcombe who is younger did not get “cut any slack”.

Jones was out of position a lot of the time as we saw with tonight’s goals and 2 shots which he just watched skim past his goal. He is not in Balcombe’s class or of either of the 2 earlier loanees.

We can’t afford a nervous extremely-average-at-best goalkeeper especially when we have a better one on the bench.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

There's some great hindsight warriors on the case tonight!

[Move DRFC]

"A young lad playing only his 5th game" - exactly, why when we're 5th in the league fighting for promotion would you stick such an inexperienced lad like Jones in.

I know Balcombe is short on experience but he's had other loan spells, has plenty of England caps and is on the books of one of the best clubs in the EFL. I just see no real reason to dropping him.

Jones has been decent overall, his shot stopping tonight was good. But every cross/corner is aimed to go right on top of him and he struggles to command his area. He's now seen as a weak point for teams to target.

[Danmckay456]

I wouldn’t be rushing to offer new deals out that’s for sure , time for us to show some grit and fight for the 3 points which has been lacking this past week

[Bailey Vickerage]

"A young lad playing only his 5th game" - exactly, why when we're 5th in the league fighting for promotion would you stick such an inexperienced lad like Jones in.

I know Balcombe is short on experience but he's had other loan spells, has plenty of England caps and is on the books of one of the best clubs in the EFL. I just see no real reason to dropping him.

Jones has been decent overall, his shot stopping tonight was good. But every cross/corner is aimed to go right on top of him and he struggles to command his area. He's now seen as a weak point for teams to target.

ever since Balcombe took our Anderson at fleetwood he had been targeted on every set piece (Sunderland, Hull, Ipswich) and looked like he was out of confidence and Butler and Gerrard obviously thought that Jones deserved his chance after being on the bench for 70+ games and learning from different keepers (Marosi, Lawlor, Dieng, Bursik, Lumley) and until last night he has done excellent and no one has slagged him off once before.

[Donnywolf]

The first thing we did wrong today was, we got on the bus

I would say it was driving from home to actually CATCH the bus - abysmal performance with the "action" seeming to be happening in slo-mo

[Spud]

Jones kicking was terrible, gave possession away multiple times

Wright panics when closed down, gives possession away easily

Smith try’s too many worldy passes, gives possession easily

AJ looked lost

Richards try’s to take the world on, loses possession easily, shooting was powder puff

Simmoes runs around a lot with out doing anything

Fej not a back to goal forward, loses possession because the ball won’t stick

Think the most obvious calamity was down both flanks. Aa much as we live Danny Amos he was shocking last night, where was he even playing? Never back enough to defend properly & not often far enough forward to do them any damage, in no man's land. On the other side Brad, as good as he is with the ball, needs to prioritise doing the basics, albeit as others have said, he doesn't get much help.
We weren't too bad with the ball but looked shot for confidence once the first goal went in.
Need some bodies back.

[Donnywolf]

Jones kicking was terrible, gave possession away multiple times

Wright panics when closed down, gives possession away easily

Smith try’s too many worldy passes, gives possession easily

AJ looked lost

Richards try’s to take the world on, loses possession easily, shooting was powder puff

Simmoes runs around a lot with out doing anything

Fej not a back to goal forward, loses possession because the ball won’t stick

Think the most obvious calamity was down both flanks. Aa much as we live Danny Amos he was shocking last night, where was he even playing? Never back enough to defend properly & not often far enough forward to do them any damage, in no man's land. On the other side Brad, as good as he is with the ball, needs to prioritise doing the basics, albeit as others have said, he doesn't get much help.
We weren't too bad with the ball but looked shot for confidence once the first goal went in.
Need some bodies back.

Agree injuries playing big part so why couldnt we go and have a Point as a target

Park the Wilfreda - break up play - be the kind of team i hate. Spoil foul play injured and come out ONLY when neccessary -I genuinely hate watching away sides doing it to us but better than being out of the game WAY before HT ....

... AND as Blackadder once said "needs must when the Devil vomits in your kettle Baldrick"

[steve@dcfd]

First yet again Halliday is not good enough against quick winger the lad did at the Keepmoat and even more last night
Wright is talking testing himself at Championship level he needs to make sure he can defend clear the ball at League one.
Danny Amos is not a league one fullback he will be very lucky to be retained. Horton was better but they were three nil up when he came on.

Centre midfield Smith yet again trying to hard and he’s not a defence protector he plays better going forward. AJ Greaves can tackle but he’s not yet a league one centre midfield player.

Richards looks lost since DM left going backwards but was the best midfield player. Simoes panic loan does not beat a man and get ball into the box.
Okenabirhie plays better coming on to the ball is not a striker who can play back to goal. Copps needs better players around him to see his best.
Jones or Balcombe I’m not sure neither fills me with confidence but the defence last night doesn’t help.
So on to Saturday let’s hope we have James, Bostock and Bogle back but without Taylor and Sims at their best we are not as good and both are injured.
Is AB good enough depends where the club wants to really go. We will only tell if we can retain our best out of contract players. If we can sign better permanent players and see what loans we can attract. We will not be in the Championship unless we put together a consistent good run not sure with AB in charge and players we have available that we can.

[Spud]

Richard's has been a way off his best for a while now, not sure if it's a fitness thing or just a form thing, I'm not sure he'd be starting atm were it not for the state of the squad.

[drfchound]

I know that Richards will be bothered, but he doesn’t give the impression that he is, until he gets into the final third when there might be an opportunity for him to get a shot away.

[Chris Black come back]

Smith is a top, top player but wasn’t good last night.

[Bailey Vickerage]

Smith always looks better when he’s driving forward and helping the attacking players. He was allowed to do that next to whiteman and has been allowed to do that next to bostock but I think when he’s playing alongside Robertson or greaves he’s being asked to sit as the deep lying midfielder which is where he’s been struggling.