Charlie Crew

[Ldr]

Am surprised Selby isn’t still claiming he’s their man of the match for his poise in the treatment room

[selby]

  As the only one in there at the moment he is.  Most are more likely to get Flu than injured  in the next few weeks from the draught as  the opposition run past them if they carry on like the last two games.

[DonnyOsmond]

Faulkner has one of the highest tackle numbers in League Two and also a higher completion percentage than any of our center backs, he has the aggression our defence lacks, and pairing him with someone more patient and positional like Pearson could work well.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Let’s be right McGarth and Grehan aren’t showing anything like enough. And Bobby while a league below was getting great reviews. He has to be an option to consider doesn’t he?

I’d warn however that playing for Harrogate who, I’m guessing from our games v them, sit fairly deep and defend the penalty box to playing for Grant is a big change and doesn’t allow defenders to do what they might be good at. McGarth would probably look fine if we sat deeper and didn’t ask him to play.

Maybe a change of set up is needed or we’ll forever have problems in defence.

[GazLaz]

I’ve never seen anything to make me think McGrath is better than Bobby. Weird how the coaching staff have always loved one and never trusted the other.

[selby]

  Whoever plays I hope we get some results, the fact is we haven't for a long time and need to address it hopefully starting Friday

[StocksArmy]

Making a loan signing who is consistently called up for his national team is absolutely ridiculous IMO.

[selby]

  To start with Gaz it was about who brought players in at the time Bobby came into the team playing better than Long who others hung their shirt on, paid money for. why god knows and him foisted out to Worksop and his injury broken jaw. Finished the season well when everything lost and nothing to play for. then Jay was brought in the same people at the club hung their hat on and out he went again Did brilliant at Buxton out again to Harrogate not given a chance at the start of the season after three days when the rest saw hIs back in the fitness tests but more than Harrogate pushing for a loan and new players brought in by the same people, and with Flint capable of bringing in a few bob because other clubs want them. Did brilliant again but not able to play until January even if fit after injury,
  There is only one question now , and that is who he will play for in the EFL, that's in the clubs hands at the moment, with the same people at the club, and is the same with Flint, who is at a club on loan that has him on the back seat, but has just played two faultless games in the  EFl Trophy for us, one completely dominating Cook from Bradford City no mean feet in itself while  others come to the club looking way off the standard required either physically or skill wise and get the shout.
  One of the big problems is the way our academy is viewed, a general view in football is cat 3 and 2 academies bring players through to be National North players  North East Counties, Cat 1 National League EFL leagues 1 and 2.
  That doesn't go with me having seen Cat 1 loan players here  be way off it here and not fit to clean the  boots of some from lower league clubs lost to football in the EFL.
  It also doesn't take into account players like Bobby and Will who go against that thought process and are better than many from Cat 1 clubs and have the stigma to overcome in the game.

[GazLaz]

  To start with Gaz it was about who brought players in at the time Bobby came into the team playing better than Long who others hung their shirt on, paid money for. why god knows and him foisted out to Worksop and his injury broken jaw. Finished the season well when everything lost and nothing to play for. then Jay was brought in the same people at the club hung their hat on and out he went again Did brilliant at Buxton out again to Harrogate not given a chance at the start of the season after three days when the rest saw hIs back in the fitness tests but more than Harrogate pushing for a loan and new players brought in by the same people, and with Flint capable of bringing in a few bob because other clubs want them. Did brilliant again but not able to play until January even if fit after injury,
  There is only one question now , and that is who he will play for in the EFL, that's in the clubs hands at the moment, with the same people at the club, and is the same with Flint, who is at a club on loan that has him on the back seat, but has just played two faultless games in the  EFl Trophy for us, one completely dominating Cook from Bradford City no mean feet in itself while  others come to the club looking way off the standard required either physically or skill wise and get the shout.
  One of the big problems is the way our academy is viewed, a general view in football is cat 3 and 2 academies bring players through to be National North players  North East Counties, Cat 1 National League EFL leagues 1 and 2.
  That doesn't go with me having seen Cat 1 loan players here  be way off it here and not fit to clean the  boots of some from lower league clubs lost to football in the EFL.
  It also doesn't take into account players like Bobby and Will who go against that thought process and are better than many from Cat 1 clubs and have the stigma to overcome in the game.

I’ve been second in line behind you when it comes to belief in Bobby (a distant second). I think he’s been treated poorly by a string of managers.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I’ve never seen anything to make me think McGrath is better than Bobby. Weird how the coaching staff have always loved one and never trusted the other.

Disagree. McGrath stilk has lots to learn at league one level but I do think he's so far shown he's better than Bobby in the air and tackle (Bobby is certainly quicker).

What both of them need is experience next to them.  McGrath was at his best with Anderson next to him.

I also don't think Grehan is ready either. It should be Pearson plus one other in defence for me.

[GazLaz]

I’ve never seen anything to make me think McGrath is better than Bobby. Weird how the coaching staff have always loved one and never trusted the other.

Disagree. McGrath stilk has lots to learn at league one level but I do think he's so far shown he's better than Bobby in the air and tackle (Bobby is certainly quicker).

What both of them need is experience next to them.  McGrath was at his best with Anderson next to him.

I also don't think Grehan is ready either. It should be Pearson plus one other in defence for me.

Jay is certainly good in the air. Playing better half is about reading the game and positioning though, he’s not the best there.

Grehan, Bobby, Jay, and C’OR are all young centre halves learning their trade. Sub optimal going into the season with them all on the books and the ageing, regressive Pearson as the other. I always thank about risk assessing recruitment in certain positions. The risk of failure in that position going into the season was off the scale based on those profiles.

[selby]

  BFYP, do you think it is coincidence that our best period of results  were at the end of last season, and our best run of results at the beginning of this season have both been when Jay was missing injured.
  Or its just our and Grant's  bad luck.

[Draytonian III]

I’m sorry to sound harsh why is that Bobby has had a lot loan moves since his debut, plus he seems to be injured a lot

[Chris Black come back]

Irrespective of how you rate Faulkner, it is surprising that over the last three seasons he has played a total of 12 minutes of league football for Rovers, the last being an 81st minute substitute appearance at home to Crawley Town on 3 October 2023. He was sat on the bench that day with players including Deji Sotana, Tyler Roberts, Louis Marsh and Jack Goodman.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

  BFYP, do you think it is coincidence that our best period of results  were at the end of last season, and our best run of results at the beginning of this season have both been when Jay was missing injured.
  Or its just our and Grant's  bad luck.

33 games in a title winning squad doesn't tell us he was rubbish, come on. He absolutely has things to improve on as does every young player but you're definitely not fairly judging him.

[redarmi66]

  BFYP, do you think it is coincidence that our best period of results  were at the end of last season, and our best run of results at the beginning of this season have both been when Jay was missing injured.
  Or its just our and Grant's  bad luck.

33 games in a title winning squad doesn't tell us he was rubbish, come on. He absolutely has things to improve on as does every young player but you're definitely not fairly judging him.

he was good last year in the league below, and i was delighted we turned down good money for him. I felt he would only get better. However its fair to say this season against a better standard he has been relatively poor. He continues to make basic errors that will and are, getting punished at this higher level. Still a young lad and lots to learn. He really shouldnt be first choice at the moment based on this seasons performance.

[pigeonhole]

I think McGrath’s raw materials - the fact he’s left footed, tall, athletic and mobile - masks the fact he’s not actually any good. Our management certainly seem to be blinded by this. He played 33 times in a title winning team but we rarely, and hardly ever looked like, keeping clean sheets until Bailey and Anderson were paired together. He dives in, often leaving his position exposed and then, unforgivably, makes token efforts to get back when he should be sprinting to rectify his mistake. His positioning and distribution are poor and the number of times he backs off letting strikers get their shots off is criminal. It’s fair to say, I’m not a fan.

Faulkner has received nothing but praise from all his loans. All at lower levels, admittedly, but you still have to do the job, regardless of the opposition

[scawsby steve]

Owen Bailey is the best CB at the club, and it's his best position as well. We shouldn't be relying on him to get goals; the forwards should be doing that.

[Draytonian III]

I think McGrath’s raw materials - the fact he’s left footed, tall, athletic and mobile - masks the fact he’s not actually any good. Our management certainly seem to be blinded by this. He played 33 times in a title winning team but we rarely, and hardly ever looked like, keeping clean sheets until Bailey and Anderson were paired together. He dives in, often leaving his position exposed and then, unforgivably, makes token efforts to get back when he should be sprinting to rectify his mistake. His positioning and distribution are poor and the number of times he backs off letting strikers get their shots off is criminal. It’s fair to say, I’m not a fan.

Faulkner has received nothing but praise from all his loans. All at lower levels, admittedly, but you still have to do the job, regardless of the opposition

Your last paragraph is the key one with me, lower level, I’m not McGrath’s biggest fan and I do from time to time blame him for things, but I’m sorry I just don’t see Bobby Faulkner being the answer to our defensive frailties at minute. If I’m proven wrong I shall put my hand up. As a previous poster put he’s had 12 minutes in 2 and bit years in our first team.

[Donnywolf]

Owen Bailey is the best CB at the club, and it's his best position as well. We shouldn't be relying on him to get goals; the forwards should be doing that.

And he probably wouldn't haven't to get crunching tackles coming his way almost EVERY single game