20% possession

[BillyStubbsTears]

In a league game.

Against a side that might make the playoffs but pretty much certainly won't make automatic promotion.

Against a side that had lost 6 of their previous 8 league games.

20% possession. And barely a tackle made in the whole game, so physically unthreatening are we.

I'm absolutely sick of watching this.

[Not Now Kato]

That was second half.  Only 17% possession 1st half!

[Filo]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

[DonnyOsmond]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

[BillyStubbsTears]

24 clearances in the first half.

Just let that sink in.

24 times we hoofed the ball out of our area.

In 45 minutes.

It literally looked like a Conference side playing Man City in the cup. Total desperation stuff. Clear the lines and prepare for the next incoming.

[Filo]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

My thoughts exactly

[bpoolrover]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

i dont think people thought he was crap, in the team we had he was nowhere near as effective as playing in a decent team

[Canadian Rover]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

My thoughts exactly

Who pressed him? How many challenges did Bostock have put on him? He was expected to do a bit of everything for us in a #8 role but sits deep and dictates play  for them(but given the freedom of the park he looks like Pirlo FFS)

[BillyStubbsTears]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

My thoughts exactly

Of course he will control a match if you give him ten yards of space every time he gets the ball. The point is, you get in his f**king face and deny him time.

If he played against sides as shit as us every week when he was with us, he'd have looked a world beater.

[ncRover]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

My thoughts exactly

Who pressed him? How many challenges did Bostock have put on him? He was expected to do a bit of everything for us in a #8 role but sits deep and dictates play  for them(but given the freedom of the park he looks like Pirlo FFS)

There was only ever 1 player pressing. Which is pointless because there’s always one man free for the opposition to pass to. The point of a press is to cut out all the short options so that the opposition makes a mistake or has to hoof it long. It was just Joe running round like a headless chicken in the end. He must regret coming here.

[Cramby10]

In fairness, it does appear that we started with 10 men once again.

[Filo]

In fairness, it does appear that we started with 10 men once again.

When Biggins is in the team we may as well start with 10 men anyway

[Canadian Rover]

In fairness, it does appear that we started with 10 men once again.

When Biggins is in the team we may as well start with 10 men anyway

May as well have had Christopher Biggins in that midfield to go along with the pantomime at the back.

[Pliskin]

Absolutely sickening levels of respect given  to a League 2 club. Anyone would've thought we were setting up to play against Man City.

How could McCann have ever thought that our cardboard cutout defence would be able to sit and soak up pressure all game? Absolutely clueless. We were set up waiting to lose.

And then continuing standing off at 1, 2 and 3 goals down. f**king crap.

[Cramby10]

In fairness, it does appear that we started with 10 men once again.

When Biggins is in the team we may as well start with 10 men anyway

ha ha. That’s the fella I’m alluding to!! The “passenger” is what I call him. I’m no footy expert but I said it from the start, he’s not a player in any way shape or form.

[GazLaz]

To be fair, I thought for the first half an hour the plan went ok. Our shape was ok and we let them have the ball in areas we wanted them to have it. A smattering of counter attacks created the penalty and a good effort from Sterry.

I saw the thinking behind the selections and tactics. Box midfield (slightly) disrupted them building how they wanted to from deep.

It all fell apart dramatically admittedly. That was down to the fragility and lack of quality of the players. Biggins and Anderson absolutely atrocious.  Olowu and Sterry poor also.

I’ll tell you something else, Ironside is the most over rated player in the squad. He tries and is feeding off scraps but he’s not great.

Moly showed a bit of quality in flashes and Bailey was ok on the ball at times.

Feels like a few of them have been told to find another club to me.

[In the box]

It’s results that get you points not performances . We don’t seem to do the basics in defence ie…stop the crosses by getting  closer to the man on the ball and know where the danger lays in their attack .

[BillyStubbsTears]

To be fair, I thought for the first half an hour the plan went ok. Our shape was ok and we let them have the ball in areas we wanted them to have it. A smattering of counter attacks created the penalty and a good effort from Sterry.

I saw the thinking behind the selections and tactics. Box midfield (slightly) disrupted them building how they wanted to from deep.

It all fell apart dramatically admittedly. That was down to the fragility and lack of quality of the players. Biggins and Anderson absolutely atrocious.  Olowu and Sterry poor also.

I’ll tell you something else, Ironside is the most over rated player in the squad. He tries and is feeding off scraps but he’s not great.

Moly showed a bit of quality in flashes and Bailey was ok on the ball at times.

Feels like a few of them have been told to find another club to me.

I agree that the formation and tactics weren't bad. To an extent.

But the glaring problem every single soul crushing week is that we stand off players. We don't hassle them. We don't leave a foot in.

We are the most lightweight, unaggressive side you will ever see in professional football.

The result of that is that, for all the organisation we showed for the first 25 minutes, we gave them time and space to rain crosses in. It's inevitable that you concede eventually.

[normal rules]

There is something very wrong with this squad. I can’t help but think Mcann has fallen out with some of them . And probably for good reason .

[Lesonthewest]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

i dont think people thought he was crap, in the team we had he was nowhere near as effective as playing in a decent team

I liked Bostock, but it's easy to negate him, get in his face, he doesn't like the physical side, we were nowhere him, same as in the home game.

[Canadian Rover]

To be fair, I thought for the first half an hour the plan went ok. Our shape was ok and we let them have the ball in areas we wanted them to have it. A smattering of counter attacks created the penalty and a good effort from Sterry.

I saw the thinking behind the selections and tactics. Box midfield (slightly) disrupted them building how they wanted to from deep.

It all fell apart dramatically admittedly. That was down to the fragility and lack of quality of the players. Biggins and Anderson absolutely atrocious.  Olowu and Sterry poor also.

I’ll tell you something else, Ironside is the most over rated player in the squad. He tries and is feeding off scraps but he’s not great.

Moly showed a bit of quality in flashes and Bailey was ok on the ball at times.

Feels like a few of them have been told to find another club to me.

I agree that the formation and tactics weren't bad. To an extent.

But the glaring problem every single soul crushing week is that we stand off players. We don't hassle them. We don't leave a foot in.

We are the most lightweight, unaggressive side you will ever see in professional football.

The result of that is that, for all the organisation we showed for the first 25 minutes, we gave them time and space to rain crosses in. It's inevitable that you concede eventually.

A mix of both of these posts is absolutely dead on!!

[mushRTID]

Everyone I spoke to expected a 3/4 nil drubbing today.

The manner of it is the biggest issue.

I honestly don’t know where we go from here.

I hope he’s backed in January.

[Lesonthewest]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

i dont think people thought he was crap, in the team we had he was nowhere near as effective as playing in a decent team

I liked Bostock, but it's easy to negate him, get in his face, he doesn't like the physical side, we were nowhere him, same as in the home game.

To be fair, I thought for the first half an hour the plan went ok. Our shape was ok and we let them have the ball in areas we wanted them to have it. A smattering of counter attacks created the penalty and a good effort from Sterry.

I saw the thinking behind the selections and tactics. Box midfield (slightly) disrupted them building how they wanted to from deep.

It all fell apart dramatically admittedly. That was down to the fragility and lack of quality of the players. Biggins and Anderson absolutely atrocious.  Olowu and Sterry poor also.

I’ll tell you something else, Ironside is the most over rated player in the squad. He tries and is feeding off scraps but he’s not great.

Moly showed a bit of quality in flashes and Bailey was ok on the ball at times.

Feels like a few of them have been told to find another club to me.

Agree with your first & last sentences.

[swintonrover]

There is something very wrong with this squad. I can’t help but think Mcann has fallen out with some of them . And probably for good reason .

Don't blame him. Bramall needs to walk in to Cantley Park and tell them if they think they can down tools to get McCann sacked, they can rip their contracts up and f**k off.

We all know that sacking the manager is the easy way in football. We're also in a strange place as a fan base when we all would rather move the entire squad on than the manager.

[ncRover]

Gaz, any central defenders we can get in January who are decent?

[pib]

I’ve given myself a bit of time to calm down and I’ve concluded that today was one of the most f**king disgraceful performances I’ve seen for some time.

No motivation, no personality, no b*llocks, no effort to get in peoples faces and make it difficult, powderpuff attempt to keep the ball out of the net.

We treated Notts County like they were Barcelona. I know they’re a good side but I am absolutely staggered that, even at 1-0, 2-0 and then 3-0 down we just stood and watched them knocking it around and went “go on then lads, see how many you can get”

I couldn’t give a flying f**k if none of them turn out in a Rovers shirt ever again, aside from probably Bailey.

Olowu and Anderson rightly hooked at HT, Biggins might as well come and sit in the stands with us lot, Senior just isn’t very good, and Faal looks like he can’t be arsed any more.

f**king demoralising. Avoid the Conference and I’ll be thankful for that with this bunch of losers and nobodies in the squad.

[Campsall rover]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

Sorry all Bostwick does is stand in the centre circle and pass it square. In the 1st half he only had the ball 8 times.  I was actually counting the number of times he received the ball.  He didn’t even need to be playing. They would have won 3-0 with 10 players.

Seriously does anyone think he would make us a better team.  We had him before and he was very ineffective imo.

[Filo]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

Sorry all Bostwick does is stand in the centre circle and pass it square. In the 1st half he only had the ball 8 times.  I was actually counting the number of times he received the ball.  He didn’t even need to be playing. They would have won 3-0 with 10 players.

Seriously does anyone think he would make us a better team.  We had him before and he was very ineffective imo.

You didn’t watch him very well then, he was all over the middle third, always available, and dictated play, yes he would make us better, someone that can put his foot on the ball, see a pass and can make it

[GazLaz]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

Sorry all Bostwick does is stand in the centre circle and pass it square. In the 1st half he only had the ball 8 times.  I was actually counting the number of times he received the ball.  He didn’t even need to be playing. They would have won 3-0 with 10 players.

Seriously does anyone think he would make us a better team.  We had him before and he was very ineffective imo.

Bostock completed 98 out of 102 passes yesterday. That’s incredible in L2.

He wins the ball back in the opposition half 4.5 times on average per/90, that’s one of the highest in the League.

How did we not sign Crowley when we had the chance btw. He was brilliant yesterday.

[DonnyOsmond]

If only we had a player like Bostock, who just breezed through the game eh?

Insane the number of people on here who thought he was crap.

Sorry all Bostwick does is stand in the centre circle and pass it square. In the 1st half he only had the ball 8 times.  I was actually counting the number of times he received the ball.  He didn’t even need to be playing. They would have won 3-0 with 10 players.

Seriously does anyone think he would make us a better team.  We had him before and he was very ineffective imo.

He's the link between the defence and the more forward thinking midfield players, in a team that keeps the ball he's a brilliant cog at recycling it and removing opposition pressure from other players. He received the ball more yesterday than any other game this season and it was a LOT more than 8 times. He attempted over a hundred passes alone. Our performances and results were better when he played than when he didn't play for us.