Let's talk about the Stockport County game

[selby]

  Off on our somewhat unfair festive game travels again find us coming up against high riding Stockport County who themselves had a bad result losing 1-2 to Lincoln City yesterday and will be looking to get back on track against us, the serial help sides out team in that situation.
  Yesterday I thought we were the worst team of two poor to bang average sides, the most impressive thing to me we didn't throw the towel in and battled to the end, at least something to build on a bit.
  One of the things that has struck me lately and again yesterday is the game is changing and we in one facet have dropped behind and may not have realised it.
  Farting around with the ball was the thing up to this season, now being a good size, Physical and if you want dirty and take one for the team is now the thing, and we are push overs in that sort of game for two reasons, we lack pace and physicality.
  Our pressing from the back is abysmal because of lack of pace McGrath shoving up for their goal left acres and two players for Maxwell when they played the ball forward right from their keeper aiming at space you would catch cold quicker than McGrath tried to to get back into, and not just him, it was the phase of the game Blackpool dominated all the game, no better than us at football, better scrappers bigger and faster.
  Until this game is over there is nothing we can do about it, new signings? Flint and Faulkner added would definitely improve us physically and pace wise but don't have the lustre and sheen of coming from other clubs that seems to be a requirement and attraction.
  Would you go with the same team? how would you change it? next week can't come quick enough for me, but if some recognition of who can manage this level of play is not recognised as a step too far for some we will get nowhere, and will not be that easy to resolve, but the season now takes on a different direction in that one we need immediate surgery to try and get the points to stop up the main objective, two to keep supporter interest go for it in the cup games, and three weed out the chaff and go for quality of fewer squad numbers not easy and will take time with some contracts we have thrown about.
  As for this game we noticeably improved the second half as far as being competitive and that needs to continue. What do you think? am I wrong? am I too critical? am I seeing the picture? lots to talk about , please have your say.

[Chris Black come back]

They have a surprisingly poor home record in the league. In fact, really poor. They have only won 1 point more than us at home this season, and won same amount of games. It is their superb away record (best in League One) that has them where they are. At home they are not good at all.

They have won only 1 of their last 5 home league games, and that was 1-0 against lowly Exeter City. In that run they have lost 3 of them, conceding 8 goals in those 3 losses.

Not very strong at home.

[jmt23]

I thought they looked exceptionally average a few weeks ago, and I struggled to say they deserved the win they eventually got. Also an awful refereeing error for the Owolu challenge on Bailey, combined with some really bad missed opportunities.

However, we were in much better form then ( not results but performances were quite good) We are looking much lower in confidence and weak when run at.
I expect a defeat, but rovers being rovers usually means they will win this out of the Blue, starting an upturn in confidence and form, and pulling us into mid table safety. COYR.

[drfcsteve]

Hard to know what our best side is if Grant persists with his 4-2-3-1, other than Hanlan must be the lone striker.

I think our best 2 midfielders for the holding 2 are Close and Bailey but our defence is such a shambles maybe Bailey is better off in it.

[selby]

  With Close you get two players in one, the first is one who is neat and tidy with the ball but not the dominant player you want in that area pulling the strings.
  And two when not on the ball is a passenger, rarely winning the ball back in a tackle and is generally played around.

[Chris Black come back]

Bailey needs to play either further back as a centre back or further forward in the Clifton role. He’s not going to fulfil his potential playing as a 6. Argument with the current squad to play Broadbent and Close as the 6&8 and Bailey as the 10, running into box late.

[GazLaz]

Bailey needs to play either further back as a centre back or further forward in the Clifton role. He’s not going to fulfil his potential playing as a 6. Argument with the current squad to play Broadbent and Close as the 6&8 and Bailey as the 10, running into box late.

IMO taking him out of the midfield in our team is madness. He’s been our best player this season, he needs to play in the position where he can have the biggest impact. I kind of agree with the fact that if he is to play at a higher level it may not be in midfield though.

[mushRTID]

Bailey needs to play either further back as a centre back or further forward in the Clifton role. He’s not going to fulfil his potential playing as a 6. Argument with the current squad to play Broadbent and Close as the 6&8 and Bailey as the 10, running into box late.

IMO taking him out of the midfield in our team is madness. He’s been our best player this season, he needs to play in the position where he can have the biggest impact. I kind of agree with the fact that if he is to play at a higher level it may not be in midfield though.

I couldn’t believe we didn’t try and move him further forward at half time.
Maybe if Sterry hadn’t been injured we would have though.

[GazLaz]

Bailey needs to play either further back as a centre back or further forward in the Clifton role. He’s not going to fulfil his potential playing as a 6. Argument with the current squad to play Broadbent and Close as the 6&8 and Bailey as the 10, running into box late.

IMO taking him out of the midfield in our team is madness. He’s been our best player this season, he needs to play in the position where he can have the biggest impact. I kind of agree with the fact that if he is to play at a higher level it may not be in midfield though.

I couldn’t believe we didn’t try and move him further forward at half time.
Maybe if Sterry hadn’t been injured we would have though.

I felt he was painted into a corner and couldn’t change the shape because we didn’t have anyone to play right back after Sterry went off.

We need to go back to our traditional shape, forfeit a bit of possession and create some clarity around a counter attacking structure.

[Chris Black come back]

And now Hanlan is playing into form and fitness, it should be easier to play a counterattacking game.

[bobbymax]

Just an observation, though they kept us at arm's length at the Eco Power in the main, they did look very vulnerable to the ball over the top in the closing stages.

[Padge_DRFC]

  With Close you get two players in one, the first is one who is neat and tidy with the ball but not the dominant player you want in that area pulling the strings.
  And two when not on the ball is a passenger, rarely winning the ball back in a tackle and is generally played around.

I'd love to see the numbers but I bet he's not that much worse than Broadbent, who then offers little with the ball.

[Reg of the Rovers]

I think it all loops back to bad recruitment. Broadbent has improved, but generally only looks good when we’re playing well. Close is a five a side player, tidy and skilful but couldn’t tackle a fish supper. Crew was like a boy playing with men. We have desperately needed some strength and dominance in the middle of the park since Grant has been here, and he hasn’t addressed that at all. It’s been mentioned earlier that we’re a small side, and that’s absolutely true - when we’re in the line ups we never ever measure up physically. Which I think is why cloggers always beat us - Bromley etc, as we don’t have enough strength in us to scrap.

We’ve seen on here that our budget is competitive in this league. We’re now 6 points from a possible 45. We lack fight, we lack skill, we lack organisation and a plan. I’m not sure what folks are expecting in this Jan window, but it’ll take a minor miracle to change where we are if we stick with McCann.

[normal rules]

I’m a little ashamed to say I’ve made a good few quid out of rovers recent bad form. Betting with head and not heart. The bookies have clearly had some sort of expectation that rovers are way underperforming and the odds have been reasonable for a punter. I’ll be opting for a home win. Anything else, as a rovers supporter, is a bonus. Stockport are just a shade under even money to win this game . 17/20. (Coral) whereas rovers are around 4/1

[Filo]

Hoping someone leaves one on Olowu after that leg breaker in the home game

[drfchound]

Hoping someone leaves one on Olowu after that leg breaker in the home game

So do I Filo but I reckon it would be stitched on that our player would be sent off.

[Thorney]

I hope nobody touches olowu.

I hope he plays the full 90.

I hope that we put 3 or 4 past them and he has a f**king nightmare, scores an own goal in the 90th minute and bailey leans over him and gives him a kiss on the forehead and says cheers for that joe lad.

I do love olowu.

But im still aggrieved from when he left.
When the crowd at the trophy presentation in the stadium chanted sign him up as he walked out, he looked back at the crowd with a big smirk on his face. At the time i thought that was a smirk to say he had already signed.
But now i think it was more of a smirk to say "f**k you i'm gone and stockport is my destination"

Was he genuine injured during the run in or was it because his heart wasnt into seeing the season out?

The b*llocks about not finding a church to settle into for me was total b*llocks.

[In the box]

I hope nobody touches olowu.

I hope he plays the full 90.

I hope that we put 3 or 4 past them and he has a f**king nightmare, scores an own goal in the 90th minute and bailey leans over him and gives him a kiss on the forehead and says cheers for that joe lad.

I do love olowu.

But im still aggrieved from when he left.
When the crowd at the trophy presentation in the stadium chanted sign him up as he walked out, he looked back at the crowd with a big smirk on his face. At the time i thought that was a smirk to say he had already signed.
But now i think it was more of a smirk to say "f**k you i'm gone and stockport is my destination"

Was he genuine injured during the run in or was it because his heart wasnt into seeing the season out?

The b*llocks about not finding a church to settle into for me was total b*llocks.

I think Olowu may be married . He was a good player eventually for us and was missed , let’s face it Stockport are bigger spenders than us and WANT championship football . We are 3-5 years away from that now if we go back to L2 ..

[Ian Nimmo]

I agree with your comments Thorney regarding the Bailey incident, which was a shocking tackle and should have been a red.
However regarding the rest, then you need to remember that for the majority of months since Grant came back, Joe was not really seen as first choice for a starting place.
It seems most likely now that he had probably decided around last January that he would be looking to leave in the summer.

[selby]

   Thorney, it was another example of not taking the money on offer in January.  What happened after was so predictable with his agent knowing money was on the table he  and joe could get a slice off it.
   I knew the situation and said to the guy who told me he would not play another game for us that season, he didn't and did well out of the move and left us empty handed.
  Don't blame him, we were cought with our pants down and completely naïve and repeated it last close season with McGrath.
  A case of underestimating one player and completely over estimating another.  And if rumour is correct there is at least £750,000 thrown away that could well have helped us to get players able to play at the level we are at now.

[i_ateallthepies]

   Thorney, it was another example of not taking the money on offer in January.  What happened after was so predictable with his agent knowing money was on the table he  and joe could get a slice off it.
   I knew the situation and said to the guy who told me he would not play another game for us that season, he didn't and did well out of the move and left us empty handed.
  Don't blame him, we were cought with our pants down and completely naïve and repeated it last close season with McGrath.
  A case of underestimating one player and completely over estimating another.  And if rumour is correct there is at least £750,000 thrown away that could well have helped us to get players able to play at the level we are at now.

And this is why the DOF model should be reintroduced but with someone with a proven track record of competence in the role.  We have a highly competent CEO at the club but retain a football management model which encourages the decision maker to operate with his own set of priorities, which can be to the detriment of the football club as a whole.