Wright and Alcock

[donnygeoff]

Just like opinions on the performances of Wright and and Alcock yesterday afternoon.  Personally thought Wright was completely out of his depth and possibly one of the worst performances by a Rovers player in years.  Thought Alcock struggled at times and did not give his best. Maybe having to constantly covering for Wright may have something to do with that

[ballysbackin]

Exact e Mon

[donnygeoff]

Wright was in Free Press saying he has been disappointed at being left out this season. Personally would be first on release list

[DonnyOsmond]

Wright was in Free Press saying he has been disappointed at being left out this season. Personally would be first on release list

What the actual f*ck?

[selby]

Alcock and Mason have been poor for  the last three games.Central defenders are always under the cosh when full backs do not do their job and are pulled out wide.
    It amazes me that everyone says that we need a left back, and yet want Mason to sign for next year,he has played there nearly all season.
    Lund is the best full back we have when fit,Alcock has lost a lot of pace over the season.

[ballysbackin]

Alcock is not tall enough but as a midfielder or a replacement for Copps????? who knows. I am not suggesting he should replace him by the way

[Filo]

Wright looked lost

Alcock did ok apart from the massive gift to give them the third goal and hand Plymouth the league title

At 1-2 and the scores in the other games a point would have been massive, Alcocks bollock sucked any life out of us

[bobbymax]

Mason, you're asking a young right-footed defensive midfielder/defender to play left-back - he's done a terrific job for us this season.

Wright had a stinker yesterday but so did most of the starting XI. He was man of the match in the last home game so give the kid a break.

Alcock is what he is but we'll need better for the next league up.

[steve@dcfd]

Mason, you're asking a young right-footed defensive midfielder/defender to play left-back - he's done a terrific job for us this season.

Wright had a stinker yesterday but so did most of the starting XI. He was man of the match in the last home game so give the kid a break.

Alcock is what he is but we'll need better for the next league up.

Alcock has not been good even in the Grimsby game yet his workrate gets him picked. We have one right back for League 1 that's Matty Blair.

Wright was excellent alongside Baudry against Blackpool. Butler has looked good alongside Baudry. Yesterday both looked like they had not played together for along time, oh they haven't apart from training.

Mason has been our best defender although he is not aleft back and we need one for next season priority.

But the two defensive midfield players yesterday were poor in their positions and when Exeter had runners from midfield could not protect the defence consistently.

[duggiesmyhero]

fickle as fcuk some people on here, as only last week he was being praised to the heavens after a couple of good games and now it's get rid of. Give the lad a break. Some people not happy unless slagging of this player or that player.

[Branton Rover]

We need a Big imposing centre back to play alongside Frenchy - I was impressed by the young lad who didn't give Marquis a kick st Mansfield think he was a West Brom loanee

[i_ateallthepies]

Alcock looked like he didn't give a chuff yesterday.  Even simple passes were slack.  One example for me was a short pass to Blair on the right, no pressure on him and instead of giving it for Blair to run on to, he nonchalantly knocked it behind him, blair had to halt his run and turn back to collect the ball...  momentum lost.

[Chris Black come back]

Someone reckoned we had conceded the first goal in something like ten of the last twelve games. If we are doing that at this poor level then god only knows what we are going to be doing next season.

Exeter were good, solid and well organised but we gifted them each of their goals from a foul for the free kick, the penalty and the crazy pass from Alcock to set them up. Totally avoidable errors that the title aside have meant the season is ending on a downer (Ferguson himself has referenced this) rather than a celebration. Really poor given we got promoted so early.

[RTID75]

I've never thought Alcock was really up to scratch. Sometimes he's sublime, but sometimes he's awful. He's not reliable enough for me.

[Move DRFC]

Alcock like pretty much everyone is on the beach. Someone needs to tell them the season didn't finish on 8th April

[roversdude]

I've really rated Alcock but he has been poor for last few games
Wright, not sure if the occasion got to him or realisation that no matter how well he plays, if others are available he won't start. He was outstanding against Blackpool but poor on Saturday

[idler]

They both played poorly by their standards on Saturday. The problem in the last few games is that most of the team have had five out of ten performances.

[Bezza]

Wright needs to get games, ok poor on saturday, but he will become a good player imo. Alcock seems to be struggling his ability on the ball is not good .

[selby]

Bobbymax,I am not asking Mason to play left back,the manager is,I would not play him there, because he is weak on the left side as you pointed out,he is right footed and has been the weakness in our defence in my opinion.
   Alcock got a very bad injury in the preseason game against Newcastle,which in my opinion has cost the lad a couple of yards in pace unfortunately.
  My take on the situation is that to improve the team for next season we need a good left sided defender.
  We also need a player that can cover positions across the back four that as a push both players can do.
  The problem is that Alcock has another year left on his  contract,has more experience,and is the better central defender at a push.
  I see both players as a bench player for cover, because we will be at a higher level next season.
   Would I go for the younger player and let Alcock go? not my decision,would I have both at the club next season, and not sign a better player for the left side of defence, no one would have to go.

[Rovers91]

Mason, you're asking a young right-footed defensive midfielder/defender to play left-back - he's done a terrific job for us this season.

Wright had a stinker yesterday but so did most of the starting XI. He was man of the match in the last home game so give the kid a break.

Alcock is what he is but we'll need better for the next league up.

Alcock has not been good even in the Grimsby game yet his workrate gets him picked. We have one right back for League 1 that's Matty Blair.

Wright was excellent alongside Baudry against Blackpool. Butler has looked good alongside Baudry. Yesterday both looked like they had not played together for along time, oh they haven't apart from training.

Mason has been our best defender although he is not aleft back and we need one for next season priority.

But the two defensive midfield players yesterday were poor in their positions and when Exeter had runners from midfield could not protect the defence consistently.

Blair won't be good enough at right back in league one, if he's going to make the step up it will be as a winger not a full back.

[phil old leake]

Both ok for me. I think Wright has been unlucky.  When he came in he looked OK.  Agreed against Exeter he was awful.  I'd like to see him get a run

[Lytham Rover]

We send on 3 forwards
Leave Alcock alone at the back and expect him to pick a pass against a compact defence....

I thought that ferguson panicked too quickly we had time to be more selective

[Chris Black come back]

I am sure there was a tactical nuance that I missed, but for a home game at the business end of the season to start with one up front in Marquis, who played the entire game as a centre midfielder, did seem a bit odd.

Ferguson then threw on all strikers and went four upfront and made it worse somehow. All very odd.

[DonnyOsmond]

May had a knock in the last match and the other two had just come back from injuries. Understandable why they didn't start.

[Chris Black come back]

Perhaps, although they had made a showing the week before.

More importantly, if we were only able to play one up front then why was he playing in centre midfield and Tommy Rowe (seemingly a left winger these days) the furthest Rovers player forward?

[Rovers91]

I am sure there was a tactical nuance that I missed, but for a home game at the business end of the season to start with one up front in Marquis, who played the entire game as a centre midfielder, did seem a bit odd.

Ferguson then threw on all strikers and went four upfront and made it worse somehow. All very odd.

Made it worse because was like football manager tactics and all shape went to shit.

[RoversAlias]

I've seen nothing to suggest to me that Craig Alcock merits a shirt next season, his contributions this campaign have been pretty lacklustre. Maybe it's the injury he suffered against Newcastle?

Wright has a bright future, he was superb against Blackpool but had one of those days on Satrday where one daft error early on seems to have a knock-on effect for the rest of the game. Everything went wrong for him but it was easily his worst showing for us, which tells me it isn't going to be the norm for him.

[drfchound]

I have to disagree about Alcock being poor since he came back into the team this season.
He has been good most games.

[selby]

 I do not think that Alcock or Mason are bad players,none are stand out players,and both cover more than one position in the back four and at a push in Masons case midfield.
  Most supporters agree that a class left back would improve the team,Mason has played in that position nearly all season,so is he good enough? Lund is a young player who was injured much like Alcock at the beginning of the season but would be my first choice next season, and the manager has at no time spoken of getting a right sided defender so must feel we are covered there.
   My question is,with Alcock and Lund already contracted for next season do we need Mason?or could we use the money better strengthening in another area.

[drfchound]

I feel that mason has done well for us this season even though LB is not his natural position.
Also when he went into the JH position he also did well there.
He is a very confident and level headed player who has a good range of passing.
If we are to have a top six push next season we will need some versatile players, like him, because a depth of quality in the squad will be needed.
If JH does come back next season he will get first crack at the holding player and we also have McCullough of course who has done really well since getting fit again.
If funding allows we should be trying to bring in as many good players as possible who can fill different positions.
Mason comes into that category.