Something

[Bessie Red]

There were signs of encouragement and, in the circumstances, that’s all you can ask for. We didn’t roll over and we stayed in the game. Wigan’s squad and spending power is ridiculous for this division and it would be hard to compete at the best of times, but with this crippling injury list that was the best we could really hope for and we should carry some momentum into the next game.

Reinforcements on the way, and I hope McSheffrey adds a left back to that list. We need to be better in both full back positions. Knoyle (when not needed at centre back) and Seaman will sort the right side, but we really need a left back to take the pressure off Horton.

Agree entirely regards Left Back. Horton should be the back up not the starter!

[Filo]

Yes, some encouraging signs but someway to go yet to establish a team capable and believing they can win.

I think Argard will find his place once GM can tinker a bit more with the shape.

Galbraith and Smith need help and hopefully the will be on it's way very shortly. Would agree Smith had a poor game today but there's too many occasions where the forward line don't look after the ball well enough and we struggle to get any flow.

I thought Knoyle had a very good game today and Olowu was steady. Seaman looks stronger and surely won't be long before he's starting games.

As for Wigan, it was clear to see what they were all about. Big lads working hard nothing fancy or very pleasing to the eye but effective.

Can't believe the ref and the towel affair. Seemed more bothered about that and protecting their players from harm.

A couple more players in shortly will stir things up even more.

I’d be interested on any ruling regarding the towel, and what the ref said to security, given the guy never encroached the pitch

[drfchound]

I also thought Dodoo had a good first half.
He got involved in the game and played some really good passes, culminating in getting behind their left back and pulling the ball back to Roe whose shot was charged down.
Admittedly he didn’t produce much in the second half but neither did anyone else.
I expected Wigan to be much better but they didn’t offer much at all.
They started time wasting straight after the second half started and the ref wasn’t strong enough to curb it, although he did try a couple of times.

[tommy toes]

Probably the best I've seen them this season in that period before half time.
Looked a half decent side.

[vaya]

I also thought Dodoo had a good first half.
He got involved in the game and played some really good passes, culminating in getting behind their left back and pulling the ball back to Roe whose shot was charged down.
Admittedly he didn’t produce much in the second half but neither did anyone else.
I expected Wigan to be much better but they didn’t offer much at all.
They started time wasting straight after the second half started and the ref wasn’t strong enough to curb it, although he did try a couple of times.

Two consecutive games with refs seemingly oblivious to time wasting.

God forbid if anyone interferes with a towel though.

[bobbymax]

I also thought Dodoo had a good first half.
He got involved in the game and played some really good passes, culminating in getting behind their left back and pulling the ball back to Roe whose shot was charged down.
Admittedly he didn’t produce much in the second half but neither did anyone else.
I expected Wigan to be much better but they didn’t offer much at all.
They started time wasting straight after the second half started and the ref wasn’t strong enough to curb it, although he did try a couple of times.

Two consecutive games with refs seemingly oblivious to time wasting.

God forbid if anyone interferes with a towel though.

Yeah, what's that with the towels. I don't remember anything in the FA rulebook saying they must not be interfered with. Should have made no difference anyway, the number eight's foot was continuously over the line. As for Wigan, one-dimensional up-and-under cloggers. Are we sure that was the football team and not the Warriors?

[Arsenal Of The North]

Knoyle for me, offers far more at CB than he does as a full back. I said it after he last made an appearance there, I’d consider moving him in there to solve our problem for now, especially with seaman back and getting more minutes

I also was happy enough with the performance  on balance, always going to be difficult against a team like Wigan. If we go down fighting like that I will be able to stomach the pending relegation

[PDX_Rover]

Knoyle for me, offers far more at CB than he does as a full back. I said it after he last made an appearance there, I’d consider moving him in there to solve our problem for now, especially with seaman back and getting more minutes

I also was happy enough with the performance  on balance, always going to be difficult against a team like Wigan. If we go down fighting like that I will be able to stomach the pending relegation

Good shout that, Ben.

[Silkscarf]

We did well today. Definitely an improvement. They looked (as they are) miles better than us for long periods but we kept trying and showed that we can score a goal and were in with a shout of a point today.

As a fan I still believe we can stay up and I want the players to believe that. There were some good signs today from which we can build.

Dodoo did well today but why does he jump at the defender not the ball? If he went confidently for the headers he’d probably win most of them.

[GazLaz]

Olowu is the best centre half we have and we should not hesitate to secure him beyond the eighteen month mark of his contract .

Olowu is ok unless the ball is being crossed into the box then he’s all over the place. Got loads of potential but he’s cost us plenty of goals.

[Campsall rover]

We did well today. Definitely an improvement. They looked (as they are) miles better than us for long periods but we kept trying and showed that we can score a goal and were in with a shout of a point today.

As a fan I still believe we can stay up and I want the players to believe that. There were some good signs today from which we can build.

Dodoo did well today but why does he jump at the defender not the ball? If he went confidently for the headers he’d probably win most of them.

I admire your optimism but there really is no way we are staying up. It would be a quite amazing turn round in results to achieve that. We would almost certainly need 9 wins and 5 draws from our last 21 games.
Even the most optimistic Rovers fans can’t really believe that will happen. Even with 3 or 4 more additions it would be a minor miracle.
Yes we keep going of course. We need to build some momentum to take into next season, that is important.

But yes I am now resigned to us being in League 2 next season. I expect a serious recruitment drive now and in the summer with the aim of bouncing straight back next season.

[Draytonian III]

If we had performed against Fleetwood like we did today we would have won, and that’s the opinion of those around me as well .

[Copps is Magic]

I've been an early criticiser of McSheffrey, but listening to his postmatch interview, he certainly seems to have a more systematic approach than Wellens.

[Bessie Red]

If we had performed against Fleetwood like we did today we would have won, and that’s the opinion of those around me as well .

Definitely and we would have held out for a win at Morecambe

[BVB]

Dodoo in my opinion had his best game for us to date, he was brilliant and easily the best player on the pitch in the first half. He won headers ran after every ball and looked a threat to them. In the second half he decided to go for the man rather than the ball, and it hampered us a bit.
They did a second half job on us, and the ref. Slowing the game with every tactic in the book.

They are a good league one team playing a very direct (hooofff ball) style, but we could and with more confidence in the bank, should have punished them.

Thanks for confirming what I saw which is that Dodoo had his best game for some time.
Oluwu is a very very good buy.
Smith was poor today - we weren’t going to get many chances and his slackness today killed off two potential ones when we were getting back into the game in the second half.
Towelgate was entertaining, though I can never understand why referees allow players to take as much time as they like to take long throws into the box by drying the ball with a towel - if they took that long elsewhere on the pitch they’d be booked for time wasting.

[ColinDouglasHandshake]

If we had performed against Fleetwood like we did today we would have won, and that’s the opinion of those around me as well .

Definitely and we would have held out for a win at Morecambe

We'd have won against Morecambe and possibly drawn against Fleetwood IMO. Fleetwood dominated us for nearly all of the game.

[Branton Red]

For me we are never going to have much success playing a midfield of youngsters as we have done the last 2 matches and second half versus Morecambe regardless of how talented they are.

In the modern more possession-based game having a strong midfield is vital. Our midfield is too lacking in experience and physicality and so we get dominated game after game.

It's been crying out for Rowe to be in there - we'd have been much better playing a youngster (Blythe) at centre back to allow this to happen IMO.

Surely an experienced central midfielder (or preferably 2) is top of our shopping list. They can't be brought in soon enough.

[DonnyOsmond]

For me we are never going to have much success playing a midfield of youngsters as we have done the last 2 matches and second half versus Morecambe regardless of how talented they are.

In the modern more possession-based game having a strong midfield is vital. Our midfield is too lacking in experience and physicality and so we get dominated game after game.

It's been crying out for Rowe to be in there - we'd have been much better playing a youngster (Blythe) at centre back to allow this to happen IMO.

Surely an experienced central midfielder (or preferably 2) is top of our shopping list. They can't be brought in soon enough.

We definitely need a defensive midfielder but we've got plenty in CM, there's Galbraith, Smith, Rowe, Bostock, Close, Gardner then Hasani, Greaves and Ravenhill. We might need a bit more in the summer but not right now.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I think you're right there Branton without doubt. We've been missing that basic midfield kingpin much of the season with Close and Bostock being in and out of the team and then out altogether. Whilst Rowe has done an admirable job in there, he's also been dragged away from that role too.

I'm pretty confident GM is going to fill this void. From what he says, I'm pretty sure he wants to get the full backs much higher up the pitch and provide an outlet on both flanks for the midfield to link with. With Seaman back in the team we get one of those outlets but is Rowe the left hand side outlet? Maybe or Horton.

Once we get further up the pitch and closer to the front line we'll see much more from Galbraith and Agard and whoever GM sees in those attacking positions.

We've seen in the past that teams can be revitalised with just one or two more key additions that raise the bar in standards and workrate. GM definitely has raised the bar for the workrate so we just need those fresh faces.

[dickos1]

For me we are never going to have much success playing a midfield of youngsters as we have done the last 2 matches and second half versus Morecambe regardless of how talented they are.

In the modern more possession-based game having a strong midfield is vital. Our midfield is too lacking in experience and physicality and so we get dominated game after game.

It's been crying out for Rowe to be in there - we'd have been much better playing a youngster (Blythe) at centre back to allow this to happen IMO.

Surely an experienced central midfielder (or preferably 2) is top of our shopping list. They can't be brought in soon enough.

Rowe did play midfield yesterday