What have we done to Joe Ironside

[mushRTID]

One of the best strikers in the league last season.

Looks like he’s a competition winner now.

That last minute effort to try and hold the ball up then get it to Kelly was painful to watch. Iv seen milk turn quicker.

What have we done to him?

[keith79]

He's probably still injured. I heard he had an opp a couple of weeks ago.

[jmt23]

Not shooting and holding the ball in the last minute when nobody’s was close to him, and he had the goal at his mercy was so  f###ing frustrating, you are a paid professional striker man.  SHOOT.

[grayx]

He's probably still injured. I heard he had an opp a couple of weeks ago.

He looked like he’d had an op this morning

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Been a passenger all season. Hoped the operation might have freed something up, but on that evidence, he's a hinderence not a help. Once again, if I was Rob Street, I'd be seething at being subbed.

[DRFCSouth]

He added more physicality than Street, against what was a physical back 4 of Wimbledon.

[i_ateallthepies]

I see that DBR but to be fair, Street had no joy against his marker all game, something needed changing.

[Usher wide.]

Been a passenger all season. Hoped the operation might have freed something up, but on that evidence, he's a hinderence not a help. Once again, if I was Rob Street, I'd be seething at being subbed.

We’re going to need Street fresh come Tuesday.

[steve@dcfd]

Joe last season played nearly every game, from January he had a better midfield and Adulekan on the left or coming inside and Maxwell over lapping on the left. Also in that period Biggins was better than any player we got playing 10 or attacking center midfield. In fact the attacking side of the team is better than we have got now. Today show it

[Canadian Rover]

He worked his b*llocks off for the team, brought others into play and won free kicks. He's just back from injury. He'll be the key player for us in the run in.

Stay loyal to Joe he won't let us down.

[mushRTID]

He worked his b*llocks off for the team, brought others into play and won free kicks. He's just back from injury. He'll be the key player for us in the run in.

Stay loyal to Joe he won't let us down.

I will never question his workrate for the team and he’s still one of my favourite players.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

He added more physicality than Street, against what was a physical back 4 of Wimbledon.

Wimbledon love the physicality. We needed to wear them down, stretch them out from the middle and hopefully create more space for Street exploit. Ironside is too static although, Billy didn't give us a chance of plan B working. I just think we went to Plan B too soon.

[colincramb]

Well he’s our only back up option now until the Bradford match. Big ask for street to start all 3 games in such quick succession. Not really any other option

[pib]

He’s been woeful this season. Not just slightly off it, like really bad. That performance today was comical. What on earth was he doing at the end?

[DRFCSouth]

He always puts the effort in. Can forgive him for the odd miss. And if his nose has been put out of joint, it's probably down to being 3rd choice at times, behind a loan signing and Billy. That after being top scorer last year.

[pib]

He always puts the effort in. Can forgive him for the odd miss. And if his nose has been put out of joint, it's probably down to being 3rd choice at times, behind a loan signing and Billy. That after being top scorer last year.

The odd miss? He’s barely got on the end of anything to miss!

[ncRover]

Don’t know the guy but my theory is that he’s felt insecure ever since the first game Accrington substitution (Billy chants from the crowd when Joe didn’t even have a chant after last season), goal from Billy in that game and Joe’s subsequent dropping.

[Barmby Rover]

We might as well have played with 9 men rather than have him as a passenger on the field, perhaps he should be retiring and saving Rovers enough to employ a second rate striker, it would be an improvement.

[coventryrover]

Can we just hold fire on our forwards and consider  how we play and gow we ask them to play.    We are definitely not getting the best out of theor position.

They come too deep, have their backs to the oppo goal most of the time.     How we play barely gives them a chance ce.

Would love to see their shots per game stats
   

[Chris Black come back]

He has been off the pace this season but he has not once really looked fit. Feel sorry for the guy as his game is all about being robust and combative and he is obviously fragile. Hope a good close season can help him get over whatever has been holding him back this season.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

He has been off the pace this season but he has not once really looked fit. Feel sorry for the guy as his game is all about being robust and combative and he is obviously fragile. Hope a good close season can help him get over whatever has been happening doing him back this season.

Fitness is his only mitigating circumstance. He was ambling around. He wasn't even ready when TSL was looking to get us up the pitch and he had to wait while Ironside strolled to the half way line. He's been easy for centre half's to mark and if we think tussling with them is a sign of hard work then sorry, I don't get it. I want my centre forward trying to break free, get ahead of them,
get into space, come short etc etc. He's not anticipating so has little chance of getting on the end of things. He was more dynamic last season, mixing it up more. I don't expect him to be a class above but we need him to regain that desire.

[GazLaz]

He has been off the pace this season but he has not once really looked fit. Feel sorry for the guy as his game is all about being robust and combative and he is obviously fragile. Hope a good close season can help him get over whatever has been happening doing him back this season.

Fitness is his only mitigating circumstance. He was ambling around. He wasn't even ready when TSL was looking to get us up the pitch and he had to wait while Ironside strolled to the half way line. He's been easy for centre half's to mark and if we think tussling with them is a sign of hard work then sorry, I don't get it. I want my centre forward trying to break free, get ahead of them,
get into space, come short etc etc. He's not anticipating so has little chance of getting on the end of things. He was more dynamic last season, mixing it up more. I don't expect him to be a class above but we need him to regain that desire.

Giving a player nearly 30 a 3 year deal… who’d have thought it would potentially end in badly…

[LincsRover]

A shadow of the player from last season, Christ knows what’s happened to him but we need him now more than ever so let’s hope he can step up and drag us into league 1 automatically.

[Ryaldinhio]

Last season he was the main man, the only striker, first choice.

This season he has had stiff competition and injuries and struggled for a run in the team.

That doesn't make him a bad player. He will do a good job for us in L1 or L2 next year. But should have someone playing off him IMO.

[grayx]

He has been off the pace this season but he has not once really looked fit. Feel sorry for the guy as his game is all about being robust and combative and he is obviously fragile. Hope a good close season can help him get over whatever has been happening doing him back this season.

Fitness is his only mitigating circumstance. He was ambling around. He wasn't even ready when TSL was looking to get us up the pitch and he had to wait while Ironside strolled to the half way line. He's been easy for centre half's to mark and if we think tussling with them is a sign of hard work then sorry, I don't get it. I want my centre forward trying to break free, get ahead of them,
get into space, come short etc etc. He's not anticipating so has little chance of getting on the end of things. He was more dynamic last season, mixing it up more. I don't expect him to be a class above but we need him to regain that desire.

Spot on. Well said.

[rtid88]

Simply my opinion but undermined this year by management. Best striker in the league last year. We brought Billy in which for me has been a huge mistake and Joe was reduced to our 2nd choice striker. One of a number of bad decisions made by Grant this year.

League 2 was there for the taking this year and lots of bad decisions by Grant for me has cost us.

[pib]

Simply my opinion but undermined this year by management. Best striker in the league last year. We brought Billy in which for me has been a huge mistake and Joe was reduced to our 2nd choice striker. One of a number of bad decisions made by Grant this year.

League 2 was there for the taking this year and lots of bad decisions by Grant for me has cost us.

He’s been awful when he’s played! Second half of last season he had to share the role with Biamou, but when he was on the pitch he was still great - still held the ball up, put himself about and scored goals.

This season, right from the Accrington game in August, he hasn’t done any of that. He doesn’t seem strong enough to win battles, he can’t get the ball out of his feet, he’s never on the end of anything in the box.  So how do you justify starting him every week just because he was good last year?