Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: selby on December 11, 2024, 10:44:22 am
-
A game that takes on more significance because of the pressure building due to our poor home form and against a team that in Stevens they have the top scorer in the division so will want watching.
Sitting in sixth position in the division it is on the face of it a hard game and last weekend won where we fail v Harrogate away 3-0 with Stevens again on the score sheet and in home games their tally of 19 goals only Walsall the top of the league scoring more on 20 goals
With us shipping goals the last few games, while finding goals hard to come by it will need us to up our game again if we are not to slip up, the galling thing is while we have not played that bad but keep getting caught out especially by teams directly running at us and squaring defenders up or between our lines.
We seem to to be in a run where we have to score more than one goal to win a game, and to be a regular top side that isn't a good look, defences win leagues and get promotions, and while we are in a good position we are not the complete product, and really need to tighten things up both in midfield where we need to stop teams from playing, and at the back where we don't cope with one on ones, and up front we need to get the ball in the box quicker to give the strikers a chance, when we do we are dangerous.
Wimbledon sit third in the last six league games table to our sixth with us unbeaten but accumulating too many draws, although I would take one Saturday and a big part of their game is how good they are at set pieces, a weakness in our locker so interesting especially as they are a set of six foot plus players who attack set pieces from all angles according to reports.
So we can expect a few hairy moments and will need to be at our best defensively probably early in the game and try to impose our game on them before they get momentum.
As for our team I will leave that to the management team and the more knowledgeable on here, Emmanuel a possible for me after last night, and a bit of height against a big side.
The one thing we will have to be is back on our game, so lots to talk about and discuss about a game at a place we have not got a great record at, and leading into an important time of the year where things start to be set out to the end of the season
Lot's to discuss lots to look forward to, Please have your say.
-
I think we will go 3-5-2 on Saturday to get more height at the back and two strikers on the pitch.
With LM and JG to come once it gets stretched.
-
I would play 352 or 3421.or 3412
Emmanuel to play right wingback Fleming or Maxwell if fit left wingback
Bailey and Broadbent
With Hurst Billy/Molynuex behind either Joe or Billy
-
Rovers have only ever recorded one away victory against Saturdays opponents, an Alan Warboys penalty gave us a 1-0 victory at the old Plough Lane in September 1981.
-
We will always struggle to break teams down until we get some pace in the final third
-
After winning their 1st 5 home league games they have a sequence of L D L D at home
This is winnable just like any game is. We should be going there with total confidence we can turn them over
-
One of my fancies for promotion along with Walsall, but maybe similar to us, are struggling for consistency.
A wins not beyond us and would be another great result away from home
-
Best away day of the season! Looking forward to Saturday. We have a habit of going 2 goals down away at Wimbledon and then staging a comeback. Would just like to see us get the first goal on Saturday and take the game to them.
-
Got tickets ordered earlier today. Only 40 left of initial allocation .
-
Rovers have only ever recorded one away victory against Saturdays opponents, an Alan Warboys penalty gave us a 1-0 victory at the old Plough Lane in September 1981.
In the April of the same year we lost 1-0 at Plough Lane, it was the day that Aldanti won the Grand National, they made a film about the winning jockey Bob Champion, called Champions, John Hurt played the lead role.
-
We will always struggle to break teams down until we get some pace in the final third
Yes, but that applies mainly at home. Away from home, we hit teams on the break. Apart from the 4 at Fleetwood, we could have had 6 at Bradford.
-
Showing 6 tickets left online. The fact they only went on general sale on Wednesday felt a bit late considering the good demand we have for the London away games.
-
Showing 6 tickets left online. The fact they only went on general sale on Wednesday felt a bit late considering the good demand we have for the London away games.
There are 3 more blocks which have not been allocated tickets for 114, 115,116
I am sure if the demand is there then surely we can have more tickets.
The 6 left in 113 are all disabled tickets.
Got mine early and we got ones in the corner block 111 as the worst viewing tickets were sold first.
I am hoping we can sit anywhere & move nearer to behind the goal.
I don’t understand Wimbledon giving the worst tickets out first. So by getting now on 108 points on the Rovers system we are penalised.
Something wrong here I think.
This is not DRFC’s fault as they were only able to sell the tickets in the blocks in a set order as allocated.
One for Derek at the Shadow board to take up possibly. If you see this Derek.
I will send you a PM any way.
-
Rovers have only ever recorded one away victory against Saturdays opponents, an Alan Warboys penalty gave us a 1-0 victory at the old Plough Lane in September 1981.
In the April of the same year we lost 1-0 at Plough Lane, it was the day that Aldanti won the Grand National, they made a film about the winning jockey Bob Champion, called Champions, John Hurt played the lead role.
I remember Billy Bremner naming himself in the starting eleven for that match, I think Alan Cork scored their goal that day but he was being marked by Carl Swan!
-
Rovers have only ever recorded one away victory against Saturdays opponents, an Alan Warboys penalty gave us a 1-0 victory at the old Plough Lane in September 1981.
In the April of the same year we lost 1-0 at Plough Lane, it was the day that Aldanti won the Grand National, they made a film about the winning jockey Bob Champion, called Champions, John Hurt played the lead role.
I remember Billy Bremner naming himself in the starting eleven for that match, I think Alan Cork scored their goal that day but he was being marked by Carl Swan!
I was there at that game SR
Remember it as if it was last week. Or at least I think I can.
Pretty sure we had a man sent off. Nothing has changed the ref gave them everything.
-
Showing 6 tickets left online. The fact they only went on general sale on Wednesday felt a bit late considering the good demand we have for the London away games.
That was down to such a late release by Wimbledon. The TO would have preferred to put them out much earlier.
-
All tickets are now sold good work for all those going.
-
After winning their 1st 5 home league games they have a sequence of L D L D at home
This is winnable just like any game is. We should be going there with total confidence we can turn them over
-
We were very good at defending our own penalty area in the latter half of last season with Wood an integral part of that record.
In many games we are now required to score more than one goal to win a game, as we are letting goals in even when we have been the dominant team in the game.
It will not end well if it carries on, and we are not as good defending our own area this term as we were with more basic defending with Anderson and Wood the defensive block down the middle last season who were not the quickest but kept play in front of them.
And when one didn't play Olowu used his pace but was held in check by the experienced player and we didn't get squared up a lot by direct runs at the defence with Biggins in there more likely to use the tactical foul in a slightly better mid field with more pacey attacks from deep starting positions from in our own half.
-
tough game today, and we could do with a win.
-
tough game today, and we could do with a win.
Were playing like we don’t know how too .If doubt unless we can start being more ruthless all over the pitch and plant our game firmly on matches , will we see a top 3 spot . Our general play is too erratic and lacks purpose . We don’t draw defenders out position or make meaning runs into the oppositions box or seldom do we get shots off or make the goal keeper work . L2 is our best bet next season without a major refit of the playing squad upfront !!
-
You don't deserve to win a game of football when you miss sitters like we did and give a goal away like that
-
Not one shot on target!
-
This is not good enough.
Disappointing again
-
Thought they were far better than us far large parts of that match,looked poor in midfield and nothing much upfront
-
Arguably the worst performance of the season. No cohesion to our play. Cant find any positives there.
-
Arguably the worst performance of the season. No cohesion to our play. Cant find any positives there.
We had two great chances early on and failed in both . We need better strikers but at least play both our strikers Sharp n Ironside from the start and stop keeping one of them on the bench . All this does is tell the players not worry if your playing crap we can do better in the second half and alls forgiven . And it didn’t work today did it !!
-
McCanns got to find away of lifting any anxiety setting in before we get in a rut of fearing losing, rather than imposing ourselves on the opposition.
Goals obviously help but, conceding first is never a good recipe.
Strong characters needed now including McCann.
-
That was shocking. No substance to the game. Hit and hope. Not getting second balls. GM needs to stop changing the team. People call Sterry, he gives us a better option. Wimbledon were not great either, they just wanted it a lot more.
But it is what it is. Great support again.
-
I’ve not seen the game today so can’t comment on that but on the whole do we think our squad is too big and therefore too much changing going on??
-
That was as bad as it has been all season. Third to every ball, pass completion rate in low single digits, and I don’t think a single shot on target. 1-0 flattered that performance.
-
I’ve not seen the game today so can’t comment on that but on the whole do we think our squad is too big and therefore too much changing going on??
yes it’s big but with NO big players . You could select any 11 and you’d get the same results !!
-
We started positively and we should have been 2-0 up, before the very poor play by GB. Not only did he give the ball away but was then very poor in not clearing.
Again another playing out slowly from the back, but before this we were playing the ball forward quicker.
We are now not in a very good position in the league and we need a re-think. Clearly whilst we have a good squad, there are too many players underperforming, or making mistakes.
It’s quite possible Grant was thinking that apart from injury that we would not need to add players in january, but given our current performances, this is now looking like a priority.
We can,t carry any passengers from now on.
-
I dont get it........
Why all the long high balls to Billy,
and we never got the second phase balls,
I dont know what the managers plan was but he must take some blame for that performance, very poor.
But the show goes on and I will be there to watch the Tranmere game its got to be a better game.
-
I assume teams have found us out so we cannot play it every game but what happened to the early long ball to wings and fast breaking, with high energy press off the ball? These days we basically just hammer ball forward and then sit back when we inevitably lose possession.
-
It’s not that squad is to big but we have players who we all thought would improve the side and they are not good enough. We can only compare with the side that finished last season.
Molyneux gone backwards or been found out.
Is Sbarra better than Biggins No
Is Clifton better than Rowe about the same
Is Kelly better than Craig definitely not
Are Broadbent and Hurst better than last season when they couldn’t get consistently get in the first eleven no.
Is Gibson better than Adelulaken no
Close and Westbrooke should not have been re signed
Is the defence overall better than last season possibly yes but because we can’t score they are under more pressure.
We are doubting players like Sterrry and Maxwell because our attacking players are not scoring
Have Billy and Ironside improved our attacking ,which ever plays, no because of the players around them are consistently not good enough ( we all thought they would be)
We are not as bad as this time last year but will Grant get this side, squad to produce at at least 80% of our finish of last season. If not the top two(three) will not be attained and playoffs will be a battle.
-
It’s not that squad is to big but we have players who we all thought would improve the side and they are not good enough. We can only compare with the side that finished last season.
Molyneux gone backwards or been found out.
Is Sbarra better than Biggins No
Is Clifton better than Rowe about the same
Is Kelly better than Craig definitely not
Are Broadbent and Hurst better than last season when they couldn’t get consistently get in the first eleven no.
Is Gibson better than Adelulaken no
Close and Westbrooke should not have been re signed
Is the defence overall better than last season possibly yes but because we can’t score they are under more pressure.
We are doubting players like Sterrry and Maxwell because our attacking players are not scoring
Have Billy and Ironside improved our attacking ,which ever plays, no because of the players around them are consistently not good enough ( we all thought they would be)
We are not as bad as this time last year but will Grant get this side, squad to produce at at least 80% of our finish of last season. If not the top two will not be attained and playoffs will be a battle.
The top 3 go up, Steve, but I take your point.
-
At least in his post match interview, he identifies where we went wrong. If he'd come out with some waffle, I'd be worried.
He knows he's got work to do with players individually and somehow get them back on the front foot. He's done it before and he can do it again.
I heard him talk about analysing the game which is usual but sometimes, you can just end up reinforcing the negatives. Keep things positive. He'll have to take stock and ask questions of himself whether, he's put too much pressure on the squad too early and some players are struggling to cope with the weight of expectations on their shoulders.
-
I’ve not seen the game today so can’t comment on that but on the whole do we think our squad is too big and therefore too much changing going on??
No
-
The two chances we have early on were worked from the game plan. Get the ball forward exceptionally early. Both Hurst and Molyneux did very well to find space and get behind their defence. Both attempts were an absolute disgrace to professional football all though. As Grant said, if they had gone in then we would have seen Wimbledon properly come out at us and likely given us even more chances. That neither Hurst or Molyneux were able to get a shot away let alone test the keeper, was really poor.
-
The way we are playing we are not a top 3 team. We don’t improve we’ll again be in the playoffs.
-
The two chances we have early on were worked from the game plan. Get the ball forward exceptionally early. Both Hurst and Molyneux did very well to find space and get behind their defence. Both attempts were an absolute disgrace to professional football all though. As Grant said, if they had gone in then we would have seen Wimbledon properly come out at us and likely given us even more chances. That neither Hurst or Molyneux were able to get a shot away let alone test the keeper, was really poor.
Just being a bit picky mate, but both Mols and Hursty did get a shot away, but not on target.
-
True
Moly wasn't helped by the bounce which he had to head
Hurst maybe should have shot rather than try to beat their defender
But as a crap footballer from 12 to 30 I don't want to criticize them
They do say goals change game and these may have done but hey , who knows
-
We made an impressive start to the game, unusual for us we were quick out of the blocks, the two nailed on chances should and would have been taken 90% of the time, that would have set the game up for us and it would have been a controlled slow slaughter of them after.
We missed the chances so that left the game far more open for them, they built and capitalised on it by basically kicking the shit out of us for the rest of the game, the Ref who early on bottled the nasty challenging from that perennial annimal Hutchinson, basically set the tone for the rest of the game, they knew they could push, barge, foul and dive with impunity, the No9 (Omar Boglesomthing)was running around like some demented freak, barging and fouling everyone who came within his sphere of reach, at the end where he took Sharp out who gave him some choice words which upset the nutter enough to come back and go head to head with him, the ref finally decided he needed to do something and booked him along with Sharp! to little to late from a pathetic ref
So basically they beat up our team, when you have a team of footballers who play with skill and technique, if you miss your chances the odds are you will then get beat up by the typical 4th tier side of physical thugs who have no football smarts but know how to put it about, are in your face and will try every trick in the book to nullify your skill advantage.
When you miss golden opportunities like we did at the start of this type of match against a side like them, then this is the usual outcome.
More steel and grit needed with the footballing ability, if you have the bottle to play players with the size and physicality of Hurst, Sbarra, Mols and Gibson then you need an insurance of a Mister in there to protect them when it all goes tits up.
GM knows what's required, pity he wasn't 10 years younger!
-
We made an impressive start to the game, unusual for us we were quick out of the blocks, the two nailed on chances should and would have been taken 90% of the time, that would have set the game up for us and it would have been a controlled slow slaughter of them after.
We missed the chances so that left the game far more open for them, they built and capitalised on it by basically kicking the shit out of us for the rest of the game, the Ref who early on bottled the nasty challenging from that perennial annimal Hutchinson, basically set the tone for the rest of the game, they knew they could push, barge, foul and dive with impunity, the No9 (Omar Boglesomthing)was running around like some demented freak, barging and fouling everyone who came within his sphere of reach, at the end where he took Sharp out who gave him some choice words which upset the nutter enough to come back and go head to head with him, the ref finally decided he needed to do something and booked him along with Sharp! to little to late from a pathetic ref
So basically they beat up our team, when you have a team of footballers who play with skill and technique, if you miss your chances the odds are you will then get beat up by the typical 4th tier side of physical thugs who have no football smarts but know how to put it about, are in your face and will try every trick in the book to nullify your skill advantage.
When you miss golden opportunities like we did at the start of this type of match against a side like them, then this is the usual outcome.
More steel and grit needed with the footballing ability, if you have the bottle to play players with the size and physicality of Hurst, Sbarra, Mols and Gibson then you need an insurance of a Mister in there to protect them when it all goes tits up.
GM knows what's required, pity he wasn't 10 years younger!
If we had have scored from the 2 early chances they were far from illustrative of superior skill. They were 2 speculative balls from defence which due to lack of superior skill we failed to convert. Our 90 minutes of “superior skill” failed to produce any shots on target.
The only consolation was that Wimbledon, a team that seemed likely to contend for automatic promotion a few weeks ago with all those matches in hand, did not look very good either.