Should we be afraid?

[stuey]

Genuine question, this early in the season do we really think we're relegation material?

[jamesrover17]

I think as it stands without a lot of changes, we are nailed on for relegation, not just relegation material… Already drifting away

[Monkcaster_Rover]

At start of season when things looked bleak I said I'd wait till October till I started to worry.

I think I've already come to terms with it.

[EasyforDennis]

We should be very afraid.

[scawsby steve]

Genuine question, this early in the season do we really think we're relegation material?

More than that, if this squad and manager are still here next season, we'll get relegated again.

[Bessie Red]

It looks as though without a miraculous quick turnaround in form and RW coming up with new tactics then we are doomed for relegation even at this early stage. If in the event that RW is fired or resigns & we quickly manage to recruit an experienced manager I still believe we will be relegated. However with a new experienced manager in charge we should be able to give a good fight to stay in the division & if relegated be able to hopefully bounce back at the 1st attempt. Now finding that experienced manager is the issue.

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

We can't defend and we can't score either. When we do score, we invariably concede because we cannot defend properly or keep making stupid errors, which up to now has resulted in defeats. Morecambe should have had a penalty and Dahlberg sent off IMO but we somehow sneaked a win without conceding.

At this trajectory, there is little chance of avoiding relegation.

The only caveat is that we have admittedly played some of the top sides already this season and had a difficult start, other than tonight, we have not been smashed out of sight. So there is room for improvement.

However, such a strategy means that we need to beat the lower placed teams and that adds more pressure on to get results in those games if we are regularly losing to the top sides.

That said, we currently require 3 wins just to get out of the bottom 4 and that is some deficit after only 9 games played.

[bpoolrover]

The players are not good enough simple as that, goalie is fine, Williams is just awful can't head or pass, knowle is out of position half the time, smith has his moments but rarely threatens or creates anything, close is the same, no point carrying on as it's the same for the rest

[Bessie Red]

The players are not good enough simple as that, goalie is fine, Williams is just awful can't head or pass, knowle is out of position half the time, smith has his moments but rarely threatens or creates anything, close is the same, no point carrying on as it's the same for the rest

Dahlberg, although an obviously decent keeper, has cost us quite a few points already. I thought Knoyle was probably the best of a very bad bunch tonight. Smith is too lightweight for this league despite having some decent technical ability.

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

Dahlberg cost us 2 points at Accrington but saved the penalty against Pompey. So does that even out? Obviously he cost us a point at Plymouth but he's made some great saves in some of the home games too.

Obviously he needs to work on his handling as he does look suspect on frequent occasions but if he can iron those out he's a superb keeper for this level IMO.

[SoundbiteBarmyArmy]

Genuine question, this early in the season do we really think we're relegation material?

Yes. Yet to see us perform well enough to muster any sort of fight.

6 points from safety after 9 games is quite frankly frightening.

[elmsallrover]

especially if you've only won 1 game

[MachoMadness]

Looked every bit a relegated side last night. Not good enough in defence, midfield or up front. I'd be amazed if we stay up given what we've seen this season.

[steve@dcfd]

Afraid is the wrong word realistic yes we are in a relegation battle.
How far have we dropped, how far have the level of player we can attract dropped. I remember losing to Charlton in the playoffs May 2019 and Grant MCCann said we will be back next season stronger we’ll that didn’t happen and since then it’s been a downward spiral.
Let’s look this is the squad for that game yes age does come into it but comparing
May 2019 playoff squad

                          Marosi

Blair.         Downing.  Butler.      Andrew

                             Whiteman

                  Kane.                     Rowe

     Wilks.              Marquis.       Coppinger

Lawlor
Wright
Anderson
Crawford
Beestin
Sadlier
May

Which of our current players would get in that squad today. So how as the club come back stronger they’ve picked two managers since then with the process. They’ve used a selection team to get players yet money as not increased even to match the level of player we had. So yes being realistic from the start of the season this is where I thought we would be. The manager and players could do better they have to take the share of the blame but also the club should have done better to provide the funds required to improve year on year.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I've said since the first week I'd snap your hand off for 5th bottom on goal difference. So far this season, the only spells in which we haven't looked like relegation material have been the first halves against Wigan, Sheff Weds and Portsmouth (and in all those, they changed their approach at half time and dominated us after that) and the first 70 minutes against Plymouth. Other than that, we've looked every inch a relegation side, even in the win against Morecambe. It needs a massive turn round in form to pull us out of this, and looking at the players one by one, I've seen very little to suggest that they have it in them to do that.

[ravenrover]

Afraid? Yes Philsky is coming back.

[steve@dcfd]

Reading Paul Goodwin DFP posts on Twitter says it all for me. The squad “Shorn of all quality experience and leadership since McCann season”
Also he said
“Reading the CEOs recent Q and A you be forgiven for thinking everything was hunky dorey at the club. Introspection required at every level at the club.”

[Bezza]

With this set of players we are going down, can you see us winning 10 games this season, let alone enough to keep us up,

[keyser_soze]

Afraid is the wrong word realistic yes we are in a relegation battle.
How far have we dropped, how far have the level of player we can attract dropped. I remember losing to Charlton in the playoffs May 2019 and Grant MCCann said we will be back next season stronger we’ll that didn’t happen and since then it’s been a downward spiral.
Let’s look this is the squad for that game yes age does come into it but comparing
May 2019 playoff squad

                          Marosi

Blair.         Downing.  Butler.      Andrew

                             Whiteman

                  Kane.                     Rowe

     Wilks.              Marquis.       Coppinger

Lawlor
Wright
Anderson
Crawford
Beestin
Sadlier
May

Which of our current players would get in that squad today. So how as the club come back stronger they’ve picked two managers since then with the process. They’ve used a selection team to get players yet money as not increased even to match the level of player we had. So yes being realistic from the start of the season this is where I thought we would be. The manager and players could do better they have to take the share of the blame but also the club should have done better to provide the funds required to improve year on year.

I had a game of Fifa 19 last night and that was the almost the exact team it threw me up to play with. I nearly cried.

[Padge_DRFC]

Afraid is the wrong word realistic yes we are in a relegation battle.
How far have we dropped, how far have the level of player we can attract dropped. I remember losing to Charlton in the playoffs May 2019 and Grant MCCann said we will be back next season stronger we’ll that didn’t happen and since then it’s been a downward spiral.
Let’s look this is the squad for that game yes age does come into it but comparing
May 2019 playoff squad

                          Marosi

Blair.         Downing.  Butler.      Andrew

                             Whiteman

                  Kane.                     Rowe

     Wilks.              Marquis.       Coppinger

Lawlor
Wright
Anderson
Crawford
Beestin
Sadlier
May

Which of our current players would get in that squad today. So how as the club come back stronger they’ve picked two managers since then with the process. They’ve used a selection team to get players yet money as not increased even to match the level of player we had. So yes being realistic from the start of the season this is where I thought we would be. The manager and players could do better they have to take the share of the blame but also the club should have done better to provide the funds required to improve year on year.

Darren Ferguson that basically barring the 2 loans and Coppinger

[steve@dcfd]

Yes Padge he had a good eye for a player and he manage to get them to sign. The problem was when he wanted to improve the squad he couldn’t do it and decided to go. McCann came in used the budget he had signed 2 loans Tayls and completed the Crawford signing and that was it till January. He got the best out of them and the loan and signing in January and we got to the playoffs. He wanted more to come back stronger and the rest is history. But we have not improved on that side for two years starting into the third. So we find our selves in this predicament where we’ve got get at least another 50 pts from 38 games to try and avoid relegation. We’ve got to put ourselves in a attractive position by January if we want and or can bring in better players.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Yes Padge he had a good eye for a player and he manage to get them to sign. The problem was when he wanted to improve the squad he couldn’t do it and decided to go. McCann came in used the budget he had signed 2 loans Tayls and completed the Crawford signing and that was it till January. He got the best out of them and the loan and signing in January and we got to the playoffs. He wanted more to come back stronger and the rest is history. But we have not improved on that side for two years starting into the third. So we find our selves in this predicament where we’ve got get at least another 50 pts from 38 games to try and avoid relegation. We’ve got to put ourselves in a attractive position by January if we want and or can bring in better players.

Well that was HIS line anyway...

[DearneValleyRover]

The players aren’t good enough and certainly not good enough to play 4-3-3. We either need to play 3-5-2 but that keeps Williams in the team or play 4-5-1 with Olowu in for Williams but the you’ve got Horton at left back because Rowe needs moving forward. Even changing the formation and tactics so we don’t get over run in midfield is hardly likely to gain us many wins but it should stop spankings like last night

[EasyforDennis]

I hope we can renegotiate the loan deals in January. I would be sending Smith, Cuker and Vulca back.

[normal rules]

Why should we be afraid of relegation?
Some talk about it like it’s a death sentence.
Rovers have been relegated before, and promoted of course.
It’s footballs circle of life.
Perhaps this year isn’t our year .

[since-1969]

Why should we be afraid of relegation?
Some talk about it like it’s a death sentence.
Rovers have been relegated before, and promoted of course.
It’s footballs circle of life.
Perhaps this year isn’t our year .

But we were told this was a consolidation season , is that code for prepare for L2 then . So we’d all better hope he doesn’t repeat it next season or our local derby will be Chesterfield!!

[Bessie Red]

The players aren’t good enough and certainly not good enough to play 4-3-3. We either need to play 3-5-2 but that keeps Williams in the team or play 4-5-1 with Olowu in for Williams but the you’ve got Horton at left back because Rowe needs moving forward. Even changing the formation and tactics so we don’t get over run in midfield is hardly likely to gain us many wins but it should stop spankings like last night

You could put Cameron John at left back and move TR into a 5 man midfield.

Pontus
Knoyle or Seaman
Anderson
Owulo
John
Rowe
Galbraith or Smith
Close or Bostock
Hiwula
Taylor
Dodoo or Fej

[sha66y]

Why should we be afraid of relegation?
Some talk about it like it’s a death sentence.
Rovers have been relegated before, and promoted of course.
It’s footballs circle of life.
Perhaps this year isn’t our year .

But we were told this was a consolidation season , is that code for prepare for L2 then . So we’d all better hope he doesn’t repeat it next season or our local derby will be Chesterfield!!

We were told, we were told!
Things do change, circumstances do change, luck does change!

Do you seriously factor in nothing from what’s happening ?

[Chris Black come back]

The players aren’t good enough and certainly not good enough to play 4-3-3. We either need to play 3-5-2 but that keeps Williams in the team or play 4-5-1 with Olowu in for Williams but the you’ve got Horton at left back because Rowe needs moving forward. Even changing the formation and tactics so we don’t get over run in midfield is hardly likely to gain us many wins but it should stop spankings like last night

You could put Cameron John at left back and move TR into a 5 man midfield.

Pontus
Knoyle or Seaman
Anderson
Owulo
John
Rowe
Galbraith or Smith
Close or Bostock
Hiwula
Taylor
Dodoo or Fej

When everyone is back fit, the squad looks a lot, lot better. Within reason, the only player missing is a midfielder with some bite. Everywhere else is fine given our budget, when everyone is fit.