Next two games

[anne honemous]

Fleetwood away; Wigan away.

If we manage to get anything from either game then I'll be highly delighted.

It's frustrating that after having a good October and then chucking two points away yesterday that we now have to contend with two very difficult games, where if we don't get anything then we'll probably end up back in the thick of a relegation scrap.

Over to the players to stand up and be counted...

[steve@dcfd]

It is down to the players. They have to show some steel as well as technical ability. We have too many luxury players in the team. They want beat teams playing football but when harassed and got at, need to much time on the ball. If they are in the side to create and get goals then they are not doing it consistently. We are where we are in the league because that’s where our players deserve to be at this moment in time. Yesterday they worked their socks off and produced one effort on goal. The rest of the time a robust side stopped us from playing. It’s getting the same tune every home game. We can blame DF because he brought these players in to play his way, but they can’t play any other way.

[mrfrostsdad]

2 draws would be good

[turnbull for england]

Only if we dont go in front first though 😀

[The Red Baron]

I would have thought Fleetwood was winnable. They don't look as good as they did last season. Wigan will be difficult though and a draw would be a great result there.

[RoversAlias]

We've not got a bad record at the DW have we? Should have beaten them there in that 2-2 a few seasons ago.

[drfchound]

We've not got a bad record at the DW have we? Should have beaten them there in that 2-2 a few seasons ago.

Was that the game when we drew after leading 2-0 and conceded in the last minute.

[anne honemous]

I would have thought Fleetwood was winnable. They don't look as good as they did last season. Wigan will be difficult though and a draw would be a great result there.

I think they're tough opposition and it's going to be a difficult game - especially on their patch.

They're certainly capable of putting a decent run together at some point and making a move up the table. Whether they'll get to the play-offs, as will be their target presumably, is another thing though.

I'd be very happy if we came away with a point. If we get all three, I'll be doing cartwheels around the living room.

[RedJ]

We've not got a bad record at the DW have we? Should have beaten them there in that 2-2 a few seasons ago.

Was that the game when we drew after leading 2-0 and conceded in the last minute.

Aye, Billy Paynter hit the woodwork which would've given us a third and ultimately won us the game. Gutting.

[bobjimwilly]

2 or 3 points would be nice. anything more will be a bonus

[Bentley Bullet]

A massive bonus is if your team has better players than the opposition. I have no evidence to say we have.

[swintonrover]

We've not got a bad record at the DW have we? Should have beaten them there in that 2-2 a few seasons ago.

Was that the game when we drew after leading 2-0 and conceded in the last minute.

Aye, Billy Paynter hit the woodwork which would've given us a third and ultimately won us the game. Gutting.

Maloney who scored the equaliser should been sent off for deliberate handball in the first half when he caught the ball when it going for a Wigan throw but the referee only booked him.

[donnievic]

That doesn’t constitute a straight red though

[RedJ]

I don't know the exact wording of the law but if it states deliberate handball is a straight red card then arguably it does if you're applying the law to its totality, but being pragmatic a yellow at the most I'd say.

[Dutch Uncle]

I am all for pragmatism in applying the laws.

For example a goalkeeper who collects a ball but slides just marginally outside of his area before releasing the ball, for which I have seen red cards given.

Deiberate handball yes, but not 'deliberately outside of the area', so no red card IMHO. Pragmatically it is like a wide player running down the touchline and just marginally running the ball out of play. He didn't do that deliberately either.

[RedJ]

Well he managed to catch the ball while still a yard or two on the pitch so it's fair to say he did deliberately handle the ball. But it'd be very harsh to send him off for it.

[drfc1951]

Didnt Marquis get booked the other week, for catching a ball that was going out for a throw in.

[Spencer O'Malley]

Once saw Rufus Brevitt sent off in a game for stopping a ball going out for a throw.

[POD]

I don't know the exact wording of the law but if it states deliberate handball is a straight red card then arguably it does if you're applying the law to its totality, but being pragmatic a yellow at the most I'd say.

Deliberate handball is a yellow card offence.  It only becomes a red card if it denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity.  In the past, keepers coming marginally out of their box and handling the ball would have been given a red card, but now it would only be a yellow, which is fair enough as long as it doesn't deny an obvious goal scoring opportunity.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Once saw Rufus Brevitt sent off in a game for stopping a ball going out for a throw.

Not quite.

We were losing, late on. Against Burnley I think. Burnley player hit the ball high towards the touchline. Clearly going out. Rufus jumped to catch it so he could take the throw in quickly. But he caught it a foot inside the line. And the officious d**khead that was Jim Parker gave him a second yellow card.

I usually go easy on refs. But that bloke was beyond words. All literal application of laws and no common sense.

[Chris Black come back]

Jim Parker of Huddersfield FA Cup fame.

[anne honemous]

One of the worst refs I can remember was at Palace in our first season in the Championship.

He'd been awful all game and when he finally gave us a free-kick, to which our fans sarcastically applauded, he took offence and immediately went and booked the nearest Rovers player.

It was the single, most spiteful piece of refereeing I've ever seen.

I remember in one of about five games against Oldham in the season we went up as well, this being about 10 years ago, when the ref denied us about 4 or 5 cast iron penalties - not even questionable, absolutely blatant stonewall, nailed on, guaranteed penos.

I can't recall either of the refs names due to the passage of time.

[Dutch Uncle]

It is written in Tony Coleman's blood that no ref at any Rovers match will ever be worse than Mr Pickles.

Edit: Closely followed by Mr Russell

[anne honemous]

It is written in Tony Coleman's blood that no ref at any Rovers match will ever be worse than Mr Pickles.

Edit: Closely followed by Mr Russell

Was Russell the Portsmouth ref?

[The Red Baron]

It is written in Tony Coleman's blood that no ref at any Rovers match will ever be worse than Mr Pickles.

Edit: Closely followed by Mr Russell

Was Russell the Portsmouth ref?

Yes. I did see a similar performance the other day from that Romanian official in the Northern Ireland v Switzerland game. Both made me think that something was not right.

[Chris Black come back]

One of the worst refs I can remember was at Palace in our first season in the Championship.

He'd been awful all game and when he finally gave us a free-kick, to which our fans sarcastically applauded, he took offence and immediately went and booked the nearest Rovers player.

It was the single, most spiteful piece of refereeing I've ever seen.

I remember in one of about five games against Oldham in the season we went up as well, this being about 10 years ago, when the ref denied us about 4 or 5 cast iron penalties - not even questionable, absolutely blatant stonewall, nailed on, guaranteed penos.

I can't recall either of the refs names due to the passage of time.

Did he send off Matt Mills? I remember him and it was a scandal. Did we not end up drawing with a goal from Heffernan? Whatever the result it was a travesty.

[anne honemous]

I think they scored late, late on to win.

The referee was an absolute arsehole though! That's my underlying memory of that day.

[Draytonian III]

It is written in Tony Coleman's blood that no ref at any Rovers match will ever be worse than Mr Pickles.

Edit: Closely followed by Mr Russell

Was Russell the Portsmouth ref?

Yes. I did see a similar performance the other day from that Romanian official in the Northern Ireland v Switzerland game. Both made me think that something was not right.

I was at the Northern Ireland vs Switzerland match,the whole ground was in diss belief at that decision