Let's talk about the Wigan Athletic game

[Padge_DRFC]

I think Wigan will finish above us. Not a dog at us I think they'll be up there

[Chris Black come back]

I think Wigan will finish above us. Not a dog at us I think they'll be up there

Think you're barking up the wrong tree there.

[Ian Nimmo]

On holiday and watched the game with a Wigan fan. He thought our defending was poor for the first two goals and keeper at fault for the 3rd.
Generally he thought we played some decent football just too many mistakes.
Apparently Wigan have been starting games well but tailed off as games went on.

My thoughts were we just gave them too much room.

[mushRTID]

I think Wigan will finish above us. Not a dog at us I think they'll be up there

Probably so, but we won’t be that paw very often.

[Usher wide.]

I’ll lay money on Rovers finishing above Wigan this season.

Laying money means backing something not happening. Are you saying you’d expect Rovers to finish below Wigan?

Pardon me for using the wrong terminology & thank you for taking the time to point it out.


Muddy, CottyRover & Avsuptem knew what I meant.

[GazLaz]

I’ll lay money on Rovers finishing above Wigan this season.

Based on what we have seen from both teams so far this season, it’s likely Wigan will finish above us. If they don’t finish top 6 I’ll be surprised. Certainly no slight on how good we have been because the start we have had has been brilliant.

[Usher wide.]

I’ll lay money on Rovers finishing above Wigan this season.

I believe Rovers will beat Wimbledon on Saturday & Wigan will lose away at Bolton (one of only 3 sides not to have lost a league game thus far).

That would leave a seven points gap between us & Wigan & potentially see us back in an automatic promotion spot & Wigan in the bottom half of the table.

Early days I know, but we take each game as it comes & Wimbledon is a very winnable game.

Just to make it absolutely clear, particularly to nickDRFC to save him from further semantics, I am confident enough to PLACE money on Rovers finishing above Wigan this season.

[bpoolrover]

I thought  wigan were very good, closed us down quickly and looked like they would score everytime they attacked

[Metalmicky]

Anyone got any video footage of the apparently 'nailed on' penalty that we should have had.  Even the extended footage on You Tube doesn't feature it...

[selby]

  And that's highlighting what i think is our biggest weakness bpoolrover, we have a lot of players that are better on the ball and and some of them are very good, but apart from players like Pearson, not many who are good off the ball.
  A lot of them step across and get squared up, not many really good tacklers, a trend that is much more prevalent in todays game.
  Hence we don't stop a lot of crosses coming into our box, or like their first and third goals Saturday stand off wanting players to come to them, but giving the player with the ball time and room to work in, get a cross or a shot in which they did.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I think we have been alot better at stopping crosses and be relatively sound as a back four this season together with pressing teams, maintaining the intensity for larger parts of games. Until Wigan.

All that seemed to evaporate. Listening to the commentary, there were warnings from the commentators and we paid the price. Wigan did to us what we did to Bradford.

Whatever the reasons for it, believing our own hype, being distracted by the Spurs game or just too many players having an off day, McCann has got to nip it in the bud. We've been here before and can go again. I'm sure the players will take individual and collective responsibility as it's a kick up the arse we probably needed. The honeymoon period is well and truly over.

[idler]

Well City bounced back after our mauling so we just need to do the same.

[steve@dcfd]

Matt Smith was on his own for the second goal had the freedom of Wigan.
The third goal cut in from the right and hit a good shot could have been saved by TLT but should have been stopped by our players. It didn’t help with Middleton at that stage playing left wing back.
Saying all that we hardly ever put their defence under pressure their wing backs came back with their midfielders and stop us playing. Crosses we did get in were poor Molyneux and Gibson were ineffective and Middleton in the second half played more as a wing back. Whether it was down to our performance or that we were outplayed and over powered by them. For the first time this season we never looked like we could win this game.

[Alan Southstand]

I’ll just add to what Steve wrote above - it wasn’t just their wing backs that came back. When they lost the ball, the whole team funneled back into their half of the pitch. They worked their proverbials off for a good 80 minutes. It was a sobering lesson for us.

And, their wingers put far more dangerous crosses in than any combination of our 3!

Final thought - why can’t we shoot from outside the 18 yard box? Do we have anyone capable?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

When you know it's not your day. (Watch till the end)

https://youtu.be/Zu0FjhqB7Dg?si=lPsxk-GPqf_MDjUp

[Barmby Rover]

Just watched the extended highlights, this is not aimed at TLT alone, but what is wrong with modern goalies? they cannot catch a ball but always look to deflect the ball through punching or palming the ball off. I find it increasingly irritating. 2 counts of it by TLT caused the first two goals. Sullivan was the classic case of catching the ball and then falling over so your team could clear their lines, it used to happen so often in his time with us, perfect positioning, a ball caught even when it was at full power and off we go again. Coaches take a step forward!

[Usher wide.]

Am I right in thinking that Mols should have had a penalty in the first 5 minutes of the game (I missed the first half live)?

Then come the 2nd half he hit the inside of the far post with the keeper beaten & Billy lurking to tap it in if it hadn’t hit the post!

IF the ‘penalty’ had been given & converted, Wigan would not have been in a position to counter & score.

That surely would have put a different light on the game?

If Mols 2nd half effort had hit the inside of the post & gone in or it had missed the post for a tap in by Billy, we’re suddenly talking about 2 goals to the Rovers at ‘crucial stages’ of the game.

I know…..would have, could have, should have but, I don’t think we’re as ‘far behind the likes of Wigan’ (even given Grant’s post match interview on the game) as some would think.

I would lay money on us…….correction, I bet good money on us being in a higher position than them come New Years Day fixtures.

[ForsolongaRover]

Just watched the extended highlights, this is not aimed at TLT alone, but what is wrong with modern goalies? they cannot catch a ball but always look to deflect the ball through punching or palming the ball off. I find it increasingly irritating. 2 counts of it by TLT caused the first two goals. Sullivan was the classic case of catching the ball and then falling over so your team could clear their lines, it used to happen so often in his time with us, perfect positioning, a ball caught even when it was at full power and off we go again. Coaches take a step forward!

 

And that's the point I've made twice on threads. TLT needs to be more conventional. TSL embraced most of the best modern trends in goal-keeping techniques. There is more punching but as Barmby says there is a time when the GK should slow everything down and take the ball to ground and look around carefully before distributing it. TLT does everything at 100 mph which can be unsettling for the opposition, but it's not always the right choice.

[GazLaz]

Just watched the extended highlights, this is not aimed at TLT alone, but what is wrong with modern goalies? they cannot catch a ball but always look to deflect the ball through punching or palming the ball off. I find it increasingly irritating. 2 counts of it by TLT caused the first two goals. Sullivan was the classic case of catching the ball and then falling over so your team could clear their lines, it used to happen so often in his time with us, perfect positioning, a ball caught even when it was at full power and off we go again. Coaches take a step forward!

 

And that's the point I've made twice on threads. TLT needs to be more conventional. TSL embraced most of the best modern trends in goal-keeping techniques. There is more punching but as Barmby says there is a time when the GK should slow everything down and take the ball to ground and look around carefully before distributing it. TLT does everything at 100 mph which can be unsettling for the opposition, but it's not always the right choice.

TSL embraced all the modern goalkeeping trends, except for saving as many shots as he should. He just didn’t make enough saves for me.