TLOD V Pool

[IDM]

So I ended up being ten mins or so behind..

I agree that we were nowhere near good enough in the first half.  Sad to say Copps was our worst player and DM did right to change him - Richards simply injected some much needed energy into our play.

I don’t think Copps is “done” just yet - he’s allowed to have a crap game sometimes.

I think the criticism of Fej is a bit OTT - he didn’t have much support did he.

Not sure what John did wrong to get some of the pelters either.?

Also, James was highly effective going forward so all of you calling out DM for his selection in an advanced position maybe need a bit of humble pie for tonight’s pudding.

As for Madine, he’s an embarrassment to the term “professional footballer”..

Now, we have been inconsistent with performances and results this season but what is abundantly clear is this is a side which rarely knows when it is beaten.. yes we go behind in games, but what we are seeing is a team which never gives up..

We started like we were low in confidence and lacked any creativity and bite going forward..

DM certainly got them going second half, and at the end of the day 3 points is 3 points..

Ifollow worked perfectly for me.

Next.!!

[Wiltshire Exile]

209 posts, so far, in this Lucky Pint. Highest of the season.

[drfchound]

James got criticised for his CM play IDM as he clearly doesn’t suit that role.
He went left side in the second half and was much better, more natural to him.

[Metalmicky]

I just could not see this happening at half-time. Just where did it come right in the second half? Why can’t we do it in the first? Still, if it’s a win, who cares, eh? 

UTR!

I could - I had a small bet on us at 12/1......

Nice one MM. (How small, by the way.  )

Only a couple of quid.... was sweating a bit at the end though....

[sha66y]

The second half performance was very good, however it took DM 45 minutes to work out how to manage Blackpool and eventually overcome them ...... I really rate our Manager, but feel he needs to be quicker to react to the threats being imposed....
This result though remarkable is not how we should be approaching games,
I am 58 , have just retired 5 weeks ago and have absolutely no grey hair ......I’d like to keep it that way....

[drfchound]

I am 68 with loads of grey hair but then again I have supported Rovers for much longer than you.

[IDM]

James got criticised for his CM play IDM as he clearly doesn’t suit that role.
He went left side in the second half and was much better, more natural to him.

But still in an attacking position, when plenty were calling for him to start at LB.

Whatever the faults and/or selection issues for that first half, much credit must go to DM for whatever he did to get the players to win that game.

[drfchound]

James got criticised for his CM play IDM as he clearly doesn’t suit that role.
He went left side in the second half and was much better, more natural to him.

But still in an attacking position, when plenty were calling for him to start at LB.

Whatever the faults and/or selection issues for that first half, much credit must go to DM for whatever he did to get the players to win that game.

Agreed but you know as well as I do that James is more suited to playing on the left rather than CM.

[jmt23]

I think Blackpool switched off a bit too, and didn't know how to react when we got the second.

Taylor was the key, but also John and James were pushed up really high.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Interesting stat. from Jeff Stelling on SkySports:
Rovers have not conceded more than 3 goals at home in the last 41 games! Can’t lose then, eh?
(Wonder who that game was against when we conceded at least four?

That Fleetwood game we lost 0-4 but actually played decent, I think.

I've never in all my life seen 45 mins like that one. First half, we absolutely battered Fleetwood and went in 0-3 down.

[IDM]

I remember several games in the first half of the 2008/9 season where we battered teams and lost..

[dickos1]

So I ended up being ten mins or so behind..

I agree that we were nowhere near good enough in the first half.  Sad to say Copps was our worst player and DM did right to change him - Richards simply injected some much needed energy into our play.

I don’t think Copps is “done” just yet - he’s allowed to have a crap game sometimes.

I think the criticism of Fej is a bit OTT - he didn’t have much support did he.

Not sure what John did wrong to get some of the pelters either.?

Also, James was highly effective going forward so all of you calling out DM for his selection in an advanced position maybe need a bit of humble pie for tonight’s pudding.

As for Madine, he’s an embarrassment to the term “professional footballer”..

Now, we have been inconsistent with performances and results this season but what is abundantly clear is this is a side which rarely knows when it is beaten.. yes we go behind in games, but what we are seeing is a team which never gives up..

We started like we were low in confidence and lacked any creativity and bite going forward..

DM certainly got them going second half, and at the end of the day 3 points is 3 points..

Ifollow worked perfectly for me.

Next.!!

I think most people are just bewildered by the insistence to play John at left back when we’ve two players who’ve played much better there this season in Amos and James.
Before the game started I said I was baffled James was playing central midfield when Richards was on the bench.
His introduction at half time did prove he would’ve been the correct choice to start.
James is a very good left back, John is a very good Centre half, Richards is a very good central midfielder.
Play them in their correct positions and we’ll win lots of football matches this season

[PDX_Rover]

As my stepdad Tony always says, always to groans of derision.... "It was a game of two halves, and the turning point was half time."

[BillyStubbsTears]

I remember several games in the first half of the 2008/9 season where we battered teams and lost..

I didn't remember but that way. I remember a lot of games where we had loads of possession and barely created a chance. The first half tonight reminded me of that.

[IDM]

I was referring to the quality of the play from that season..

As for Dickos’ points for players in their best positions, yes that is great when all are fit and by that I mean the rest of the team.  We are currently 4 attackers (attacks minded players if you include Gomes as one) down, so perhaps DM feels we need a bit more bite in the forward-ish positions, hence James played where he was.  John can cover LB - did OK last night - but can also IMHO play in an advanced role.  Richards is just back from injury so was an unlikely starter last night so effectively we were 4 1/2 players down.

We may not all agree with DM’s selections but we got the result..

[dickos1]

I disagree I’m afraid
Amos and James have both played better as left backs recently than James.
I don’t think James gives us anything in central midfield, he played much better last night on the left hand side.
In my opinion John should be on the bench waiting for an opportunity to get into the centre of defence we shouldn’t be trying to show horn him into our starting 11

[Alan Southstand]

I disagree re Amos (and I like the lad, by the way) but Cameron is quicker and stronger than Amos. I thought pushing Reece out on the left tightened that side of the field, where the ex Mansfield lad was having a field day first half!

On the right side, Sims seemed to also buddy up with Halliday well and Richards strengthened the middle of the park.

The biggest single factor just had to be the b0ll0cking DM handed out at HT. Listen to Taylor Richards interview after the game and you can tell the lads had ‘a wake-up call’!