Let's talk about the Harrogate Town game

[selby]

After a good point at Stockport it is on to a local Derby where both sides need to pick points up if possible.
  I was not at the Stockport game, but going on the free press form points awarded for performances it seems that Anderson and Mitchell were outstanding, and for a change most others were sevens, and when that happens you have a chance the team work goes well, and has happened so few times this season with especially mid field not contributing or being over run.
  So I would go along with the same team, it's a home game injury allowing it is time to try and get a settled team and see what comes of it.
   Harrogate also come off a drawn game at home to Gillingham and need points to avoid becoming embroiled in a scrap at the bottom, and look as though in Muldoon have someone who can be a problem up front and Eastman and O'Conner were very good at the back in the game, so not an easy game when teams need to scrap, and it is something we have not been the best at over the last couple of seasons, tending to get out battled when the chips were down.
   So what do you think? are we showing signs of improvement? Our goals for column seems to have stalled lately, can we improve in front of goal? I suppose the big question is does our set up allow it with just one up front, would you change it?
  Lot's on this game, please have your say?

[roversdude]

We need to show more attacking intent on Tuesday. It was a good point against Stockport but to keep in with any semblance of a play off chance we need 6 points from the next 2 game’s purely to hang onto the coat tails of our rivals

[Chris Black come back]

They have one of the worst away records in League Two. Have only won 3 games away all season although their goals scored and defensive record away is better than our away record.

[Colemans Left Hook]

They were very lucky last season they got a "Diamond geezer" Striker on loan from Sunderland - this season Mr Diamond is on loan at Lincoln doing very well.
Earlier in the season they had an infestation Of Huddersfield loanees - I am sure without the time to check that they have more thab the maximum loanees allowed to start on the team sheet.

As I have said plenty of times already on here the Carlisle center hald cooly passed the ball into his own net in the 81st minute to give the "Smelly" Sulphurites an unlikely win.  Basically that win Stinks !!!!   They even play away in Sulpur yellow shirts !!

That "gift win " was their only win in their last six

their laughable winner is always worth a re-watch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8m5w6VcvL4

Again  this season they have got one decent loanee striker can't remember his name

So expect a Battle of the Alamo match as they try to hold on to the point they start with.

[drfchound]

It would be nice if they do come and play a defensive style.
Even if it means us trying to find space to get a shot away at least we would be able to play more of the game in the oppositions half.

[Harrogate Rover]

Town have won only 1 of their last 13 (away to Carlisle), but have drawn 5 of their last 6. Saw them recently play poorly in home defeats to Colchester and Stockport, but sandwiched between that play well in a 1-1 draw v Stevenage. Obviousley I hope the 'poor Town' turn up.
Simon Weaver has generally gone with a 4-3-3 this season, Luke Armstrong is their main striker who does work hard alonside ex Rovers youth player Jack Muldoon. Alex Pattison is in my opinion, their best player, a box to box midfielder with an eye for goal, but he was only on the bench yesterday after being injured, and they've got a young winger on loan from Southampton, Kazeem Olaigbe who could be a handful.
There also seems to be a growing band of Town fans who want rid of Weaver as manager, the general consensus seems to be that the football is boring and he has taken the club as far as he can. 

[Harrogate Rover]

They were very lucky last season they got a "Diamond geezer" Striker on loan from Sunderland - this season Mr Diamond is on loan at Lincoln doing very well.
Earlier in the season they had an infestation Of Huddersfield loanees - I am sure without the time to check that they have more thab the maximum loanees allowed to start on the team sheet.

As I have said plenty of times already on here the Carlisle center hald cooly passed the ball into his own net in the 81st minute to give the "Smelly" Sulphurites an unlikely win.  Basically that win Stinks !!!!   They even play away in Sulpur yellow shirts !!

That "gift win " was their only win in their last six

their laughable winner is always worth a re-watch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8m5w6VcvL4

Again  this season they have got one decent loanee striker can't remember his name

So expect a Battle of the Alamo match as they try to hold on to the point they start with.

Jack Diamond was indeed a very good player, would love to see him at Rovers.

They had 3 players on loan from Huddersfield at the start of the season. Josh Austerfield and Jaheim Headley have both gone back, and winger Matt Daly who is just returning after being injured for a couple of months.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Forecast to be 0 to -2 during the game, let's hope the game gives us something to cheer about to stay warm.

[Upton Rover]

If we can’t score 3+ goals in this game, then we really are rubbish

[Branton Rover]

No disrespect but Harrogate fall into the same category as Crawley, Sutton, Forest Green, Yeovil etc - promoted into this EFL without any pedigree or history in the football league. Twenty years ago we were inferior to Yeovil & got up through the playoffs we’re established league club & they’re back down with the deadmen in the Conference South.

[Spud]

If we can’t score 3+ goals in this game, then we really are rubbish

Well that's your bar set then Upton, I admire your determination to have an utterly miserable night.

[normal rules]

If rovers lose this, and don’t put in a half decent performance, the knives will be out, so to speak, more than previously this season.

[scawsby steve]

If rovers lose this, and don’t put in a half decent performance, the knives will be out, so to speak, more than previously this season.

What's of more significance, NR, is next season's ST sales. It's obvious to anyone living in the real world that we've no chance of making the play-offs. This squad is nowhere near good enough to get the amount of points now needed to do that.

However, the team still needs to perform to a decent level over the remaining games to convince the waverers that it's worth buying a ST for next season.

I've got mine, because I'm daft as a brush, but if the team finishes the season poorly, the ST revenue for next season could take a massive hit.

[normal rules]

If rovers lose this, and don’t put in a half decent performance, the knives will be out, so to speak, more than previously this season.

What's of more significance, NR, is next season's ST sales. It's obvious to anyone living in the real world that we've no chance of making the play-offs. This squad is nowhere near good enough to get the amount of points now needed to do that.

However, the team still needs to perform to a decent level over the remaining games to convince the waverers that it's worth buying a ST for next season.

I've got mine, because I'm daft as a brush, but if the team finishes the season poorly, the ST revenue for next season could take a massive hit.

Totally agree.
A flourish at seasons end would carry good feeling and optimism into next. And let’s face it, the last seasons end certainly carried over into this one didn’t it? Finish on a relative high, start on one next season.

[ncRover]

We really need a goal or 2 tonight. If we can’t create chances against these then the rest of the season isn’t looking too good.

Hoping to see a George Miller or Lavery goal and some minutes for Todd Miller to see if he can offer anything different.

Looking ahead at the forecast, I don’t think we’ll get a game this Saturday.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We're going 'Full throttle' according to DS so we should be in for some high tempo footy and some excitement to keep us warm!

[Butchers Red]

The lone striker issue is what kills DS and his system for me.

No-one, Haaland,Zlatan or even Shearer, playing up top solo and yards away from any support would be scoring regularly in our side - and with respect to both George and Lavery - they are not physical at all and rely on channel balls etc to use their pace and get on the end of things. It dosen't matter which of them - or even Agard - there's no chance for the guys.

But equally importantly, what about entertainment ?? In this system there is certainly precious little of that.

Getting out of this league is simple enough - with the right approach anyway - we desperately need an Andy Cook type of proper centre forward and then the likes of George and Lavery,playing off him would have a field day - add Hurst and Moly to that spearhead and we would piss this league.

Is it really so hard to see ??

[Campsall rover]

Unfortunately it would seem our manager/ coach is obsessed with playing 5-2-3 or 5-4-1
Apparently it’s the fashionable formation. Unless you have the right type of centre forward the system is flawed.
It would seem 90% of our fans can see it but our head coach can’t or is stubborn enough not to want to see it.

With the personnel we have we should play either 5-3-2 / 3-5-2 or preferably imo go back to Dave Penny’s trusted 4-4-2
We have the players to play that system. 2 wingers, lots of crosses and  2 out and out strikers to get the bulk of goals.
It worked in 2003/04 so why can’t it work in 2022/23

It’s still the same game, a round ball, 11 a side.
Oh why oh why do coaches over complicate what is a very simple game.

[ncRover]

The lone striker issue is what kills DS and his system for me.

No-one, Haaland,Zlatan or even Shearer, playing up top solo and yards away from any support would be scoring regularly in our side - and with respect to both George and Lavery - they are not physical at all and rely on channel balls etc to use their pace and get on the end of things. It dosen't matter which of them - or even Agard - there's no chance for the guys.

But equally importantly, what about entertainment ?? In this system there is certainly precious little of that.

Getting out of this league is simple enough - with the right approach anyway - we desperately need an Andy Cook type of proper centre forward and then the likes of George and Lavery,playing off him would have a field day - add Hurst and Moly to that spearhead and we would piss this league.

Is it really so hard to see ??

The only top club who play this formation are Spurs. They have Kane up top who is aerially good and technically proficient enough to bring others in to play.

Not to bash DS but I’d worry that he’d be ideologically opposed to bringing a big man in in the summer (and then just play long balls to a lightweight small skinny striker). Despite the prem top 6 now having big 6ft+ forwards.

[Butchers Red]

We're going 'Full throttle' according to DS so we should be in for some high tempo footy and some excitement to keep us warm!

"Full throttle" ??

This is turgid,boring shite of the highest order.

[BillyStubbsTears]

This is truly awful.

[moses]

I am helping my lad revise for his physics exam. This is dire.

[i_ateallthepies]

Even James Maxwell is struggling to find anything positive to say about that performance.

[karldew]

Nelson off > Miller on

442, 2 up top! Just please change the formation and tell the players they all play for the same team. Possibly remind them they need to get the ball in the net to win a game too.

Second half surely can’t be worse than that! 

[i_ateallthepies]

Looking at the way that half was played, Harrogate put a lot of energy into closing us down, if they burn themselves out before 90mins then the space will start to open up.  I've seen nothing to suggest the Rovers are going to burn themselves out.

[Rovers91]

Please just get rid of him, it's so bloody boring to watch.

[ian1980]

We're going 'Full throttle' according to DS so we should be in for some high tempo footy and some excitement to keep us warm!

It appears he forgot to tell the players about going full throttle, as most haven’t even started the engine

[Chris Black come back]

f**king hell this is a bad result.

[mattrover]

Nothing short of a disgrace. Woeful performance. Could see that Harrogate goal coming for ages and no changes to effect the game. Poor management.

[BillyStubbsTears]

f**king hell this is a bad result.

Nevermind the result, this is as bad a performance as we've had in recent years. We are playing a side that has won 11 points out of the past 42 before tonight and they have been better than us in every single position.