Shoot me down in flames........

[Bentley Bullet]

But, I always suspected that John Marquis was holding back the performance of the team as a whole and players individually on occasions, and selling him is proving to be a good deal.

Am I right (as usual)?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Selling him was a good deal. Sometimes familiarity breeds contempt and we know he had his critics and I think that would have gotten worse if he didn't perform.

Interestingly, I note on another thread about Wright's comments about JM demanding a lot and perhaps the team was too fucussed on his contribution.

I said to my mate on the way out today, we're not seeing the histrionics and drama we used to get from Marquis and Wilks. These lads just get on with it which is quite refreshing.

[Nudga]

But, I always suspected that John Marquis was holding back the performance of the team as a whole and players individually on occasions, and selling him is proving to be a good deal.

Am I right (as usual)?

Easy to say now 😉

[Bentley Bullet]

But, I always suspected that John Marquis was holding back the performance of the team as a whole and players individually on occasions, and selling him is proving to be a good deal.

Am I right (as usual)?

Easy to say now 😉

I thought it, and said it when he was here!

[Nudga]

I missed that one BB. I agree though, I'll be in the very small minority here but I was never a fan of JM.
I didn't like that he looked for cheap free kicks and then sat in his arse complaining when he didn't t get them.
Also, if the ball wasn't played to his feet, rarely looked bothered.
Fantastic goal record though, knew where the net was, just didn't like his game face.

[Bentley Bullet]

I agree entirely with that Nudga.

[Herbert Anchovy]

How anyone can grumble about JM is beyond me!!! He did the business while he was here and that’s all that matters.

[Nudga]

How anyone can grumble about JM is beyond me!!! He did the business while he was here and that’s all that matters.

It's a strange one HH, a Rovers hero for his goal record and won us many points.
But I just couldn't love the guy like say a Billy Sharp, Paul Heffernan, Mike Jeffrey.
I didn't really take to Paul Barnes for similar reasons

[dknward2]

I missed that one BB. I agree though, I'll be in the very small minority here but I was never a fan of JM.
I didn't like that he looked for cheap free kicks and then sat in his arse complaining when he didn't t get them.
Also, if the ball wasn't played to his feet, rarely looked bothered.
Fantastic goal record though, new where the net was, just didn't like his game face.

Noticed today whenever Ennis got fouled he looked to get up as quick as possible to carry on the attack, 2nd half saw him get chopped down and thought that will keep him down, nope he got up and made a run into the box unfortunately the ball was crossed deep so nothing came of it the Lincoln player stayed down for a little bit maybe just con the ref even more than they did all match.

Did find myself thinking John would have sat in a heap on the floor looking at the ref.

Amazing really when Ennis has had 2 really bad injuries in his career already that he gets stuck in as much as he does

[Bentley Bullet]

How anyone can grumble about JM is beyond me!!! He did the business while he was here and that’s all that matters.

It is a rare phenomenon to suggest your team is better off without its former top scorer but it is how I see it, and I think my theory is being proved right because we are scoring goals without him and still have the money available from his sale.

[Nudga]

Similar to McIndoe/Coppinger scenario

[Iberian Red]

But, I always suspected that John Marquis was holding back the performance of the team as a whole and players individually on occasions, and selling him is proving to be a good deal.

Am I right (as usual)?

Nope. Talking b*llocks as usual. But that's just par to the form

[RoversAlias]

I missed that one BB. I agree though, I'll be in the very small minority here but I was never a fan of JM.
I didn't like that he looked for cheap free kicks and then sat in his arse complaining when he didn't t get them.
Also, if the ball wasn't played to his feet, rarely looked bothered.
Fantastic goal record though, new where the net was, just didn't like his game face.

Rarely looked bothered if it wasn't played to feet? He ran after everything til he was blue in the face and was always trying to make something happen, even if he had to run 50 yards to get involved.

There may be merit to the argument of the OP but I think it'll take more time to tell, until Moore has a settled side and clear playing style that hopefully proves effective.

Marquis was brilliant for us. Week in, week out. Now he's gone we find a new way forward and so far the signs of doing that are encouraging.

[RobTheRover]

I've got to say, I've seen a difference in the way we play post-JM from the first game of the season to yesterday's performance.

The first game of the season v Gillingham we looked like we lacked JM's work rate up top, chasing lost causes, closing down keepers with the ball at their feet, etc. Yesterday, we lacked none of that energy. In fact at times we had more as those traits were being provided by a number of players, not just one. Gomes, May, Sadlier, and Ennis all did it at one point or another.

[StocksArmy]

Glad were rid of him. My issue with JM was always his lack of technical ability. Ball at his feet anywhere was just a disaster. Yes he scored a lot of goals which I can't and won't complain about but, I personally want to see more from a striker than just goals. Can any of the statsmen tell me how many he created during his time here? I bet its not a lot for a strikers of his size. Not sure he will score the same amount of goals for Pompey this year as if/when he goes on another 10 game goalless run they have the strength in depth to drop him.

[Alan Southstand]

Don’t agree at all. You can’t lose a 20 odd goal a season striker and be a better side afterwards. We miss the work rate and the physicality and the goals.

[SydneyRover]

I've got to say, I've seen a difference in the way we play post-JM from the first game of the season to yesterday's performance.

The first game of the season v Gillingham we looked like we lacked JM's work rate up top, chasing lost causes, closing down keepers with the ball at their feet, etc. Yesterday, we lacked none of that energy. In fact at times we had more as those traits were being provided by a number of players, not just one. Gomes, May, Sadlier, and Ennis all did it at one point or another.

We would expect a new manager to change how we do what we do and if JM was here he would have to adapt to the new style. Every player it seems has supporters and detractors but one can't deny JM was good for us and it gave him a shop window for his goal scoring talent. I thought in his interview on leaving he came across as genuine, a nice touch.

[Chris Black come back]

He is listed last season as delivering four assists.

[Rovers91]

I wouldn't say we miss JM work rate because the lads up there are running their b*llocks off just as much as he did. In the long run we do need to replace his goals because it might become costly and we do need that different option with someone with more size. Whether that is to start or to bring on if plan A isn't working.
But it's a strange one because I'm not disappointed hes left. He had a good goalscoring record with us and put a shift in but technically he wasn't great at all and I don't think he will get the goals elsewhere to the level he did with us.

[sha66y]

This is one of those discussions that will divide opinions based upon an individual versus the team mentality, JM’s ability to score 20 plus goals a season is a testament to his finishing skills, but I dare say a lot on here feel he squandered more than 20 additional goals over a season too!

I think the divide is also a personality thing, JM was at his best when we were winning and he was the focal point, the main man, however he never made me feel like he appreciated the endeavours of those around him....maybe that’s what it takes in a JM led team,

and I must admit I was one of those that said his head had been turned in January, and witnessed the slow demise of JMs contribution to the goals haul, it was like he thought he would never get dropped irrespective of performance...

We have witnessed over the last few decades great team performances that didn’t require a solitary goal machine, and I think that we are heading once again in that direction.....

JM was part of a style that brought him personal success yet I prefer the better, complete team performance where there are goal scorers all over the park ...

[5 on Tour]

Sha66y that’s a brilliant description.

JM was good for us but only because we were good for him. Those lads yesterday worked and worked and worked and we all enjoyed it. JM did the same for us when it was going his way. I can’t remember which match it was last season but I have an image of him winning a free kick for us last year near the corner flag. Copps took it quickly and swung it into the middle. JM however wasn’t there as he was still shouting at the linesman for the player not being booked. I do not miss that side of him at all. Everyone yesterday got up and got one.

Do we need to replace his goals? Yes of course we do. Could either of those 2 on the pitch potentially do it. Only time will tell. Get a 25/26 year old on a permanent and let’s see what we can do for his career. JM’s record was shocking before us.

[Nudga]

I missed that one BB. I agree though, I'll be in the very small minority here but I was never a fan of JM.
I didn't like that he looked for cheap free kicks and then sat in his arse complaining when he didn't t get them.
Also, if the ball wasn't played to his feet, rarely looked bothered.
Fantastic goal record though, new where the net was, just didn't like his game face.

Rarely looked bothered if it wasn't played to feet? He ran after everything til he was blue in the face and was always trying to make something happen, even if he had to run 50 yards to get involved.

There may be merit to the argument of the OP but I think it'll take more time to tell, until Moore has a settled side and clear playing style that hopefully proves effective.

Marquis was brilliant for us. Week in, week out. Now he's gone we find a new way forward and so far the signs of doing that are encouraging.

Yep, that's how I saw it but I probably didn't go to as many games as you did over the last three  years.
I very rarely saw him play well, he always had a strop and stopped working, playing very centrally and almost isolating himself there.
I only saw him play really well away at Blackburn, he was awesome that day.

I must stress though, I wasn't a JM hater, I never criticised him vocally at the game or on here because he was obviously doing a job.

[Chris Black come back]

I think we were very lucky he had such a good fitness record as not only did he not have a back-up but the entire side under both our previous managers was set up to play to him, his strengths and his game.

[roversdude]

I thought up until January JM was immense for us, his head was definitely turned by the Sunderland scenario
We seem more like a team now

[glosterred]

I suspect also that with Niall Ennis’ goal yesterday, if that had been JM he would have miss controlled it and then blamed IL for the pass.


COYR

[graingrover]

Why can’t folk just accept that we will now have a different attacking configuration without having to knock a guy who gave 100% every single game and became our highest scorer for decades .

[Glyn_Wigley]

Don’t agree at all. You can’t lose a 20 odd goal a season striker and be a better side afterwards. We miss the work rate and the physicality and the goals.

Everton sold Wayne Rooney in 2004 after finishing 17th.

The experts said they were a one-man team and wouldn't be able to cope without him.

Next season they finished 4th.

There's more than one way to skin a cat.

[DonnyOsmond]

Don’t agree at all. You can’t lose a 20 odd goal a season striker and be a better side afterwards. We miss the work rate and the physicality and the goals.

Everton sold Wayne Rooney in 2004 after finishing 17th.

The experts said they were a one-man team and wouldn't be able to cope without him.

Next season they finished 4th.

There's more than one way to skin a cat.

That's the one I was just thinking of!

[Paul Simpson]

Well I personally thoroughly enjoyed watching John Marquis play his heart out in our colours. I’ve said it many times before that we would not be in league 1 without his contribution over the past 3 seasons. We move forward now with hopefully another enjoyable and successful season 🤞⚽️😀

[NickDRFC]

Don’t agree at all. You can’t lose a 20 odd goal a season striker and be a better side afterwards. We miss the work rate and the physicality and the goals.

Everton sold Wayne Rooney in 2004 after finishing 17th.

The experts said they were a one-man team and wouldn't be able to cope without him.

Next season they finished 4th.

There's more than one way to skin a cat.

Not really a similar comparison - although Rooney's talent was obvious at the time he was never prolific for Everton before he moved to United. John's goals are a much bigger loss for us. It's a fair point in principle though.