Can we Ban all Talk of the Play-off's?

[Alan Southstand]

OK, first of all, I didn't go and I had to be somewhere else on Saturday, but my point can be made without the need to have witnessed our latest demise. Unless and until we either:

Address the back 4 issue
Address the defensive midfield issue
Get players back from injury, that we are so badly missing (particularly Gillet and Chambers)

...we are not going to get anywhere near the damn play-off's. If finances are tight and we can't invest in a couple of loanees, then something has to be done to turn round our poor defensive issues. Many have already mentioned about the tactics being wrong and that 4-3-3 at Leicester was a tad optimistic and I would agree with those sentiments, but its not just that, its the personeel in that middle 3 that makes matters worse, where defensive responsibilities are concerned. None of them, arguably, are defensive minded. Stock is nearest to fitting the bill, but he's always needed a 'minder', as its always been evident that he lacks the pace and engine to get back if the ball's lost. Ritchie Wellens will have known this, for sure, as he 'baby-sat' him for long enough!

The CB problem is still not sorted, IMO, and has been sadly overlooked since we lost out on Jason. But we need to address that other part of the 'spine' and that is CM. Since Gillet was injured, there has been no minder of the back 4.

1 point from the last 9 is nowhere near play-off form, so can we get back to reality now?

[Dimples-D]

I for one have never thought we would be in the play off places. I am happy with anywhere not in the bottom 3. We are the second smallest club in this league and have been punching above our weight for the past 3 years.
I am well happy just being in this league, never mind all the play off talk.

But if you told me 10 years ago that we would be where we are now I would have laughed, so maybe I am being a bit negative and in 10 years time who knows.
But realistically I dont expect to see Rovers in the Premier league in my lifetime.

Hope I am wrong..

[rovinrover52]

I agree with you Double D
but i hope we`ll get there one season soon
and i`m sure a few of our players will be hoping so too

[Rovin Reporter]

Alan Southstand wrote:

OK, first of all, I didn't go and I had to be somewhere else on Saturday, but my point can be made without the need to have witnessed our latest demise. Unless and until we either:

Address the back 4 issue
Address the defensive midfield issue
Get players back from injury, that we are so badly missing (particularly Gillet and Chambers)

...we are not going to get anywhere near the damn play-off's. If finances are tight and we can't invest in a couple of loanees, then something has to be done to turn round our poor defensive issues. Many have already mentioned about the tactics being wrong and that 4-3-3 at Leicester was a tad optimistic and I would agree with those sentiments, but its not just that, its the personeel in that middle 3 that makes matters worse, where defensive responsibilities are concerned. None of them, arguably, are defensive minded. Stock is nearest to fitting the bill, but he's always needed a 'minder', as its always been evident that he lacks the pace and engine to get back if the ball's lost. Ritchie Wellens will have known this, for sure, as he 'baby-sat' him for long enough!

The CB problem is still not sorted, IMO, and has been sadly overlooked since we lost out on Jason. But we need to address that other part of the 'spine' and that is CM. Since Gillet was injured, there has been no minder of the back 4.

1 point from the last 9 is nowhere near play-off form, so can we get back to reality now?

What rubbish!, why are we even in the division if were are not to get to the end of the season with something to show for all the money spent and effort put in . Blackpool ,Burnley,  Barnsley , Even Bradford would not chage the a thing , The playoffs is a mark of where we could be this season, this has to be the most OPEN of leagues for many years, we like other teams believe with the right amount of effort this is acheevable. You are WRONG to think we are that we can get near them , the players are up for it , a FULL squad and we are capable of beating anyone.

[Mike_F]

I agree that we are capable of getting there, but we have to manage our expectations. We win a few games and climb the table and there's a wave of optimism and belief that we will waltz our way to the Premiership. We lose two or three and we're doomed. 'Twas always thus. Sean O'Driscoll has said many a time that he doesn't look at the league table (or certainly not at this stage of the season anyway) and I have for the most part adopted this philosophy. Of course I can't resisit the odd look every now and then, and come the end of February I'll be following it intently as the season starts drawing in. Until then though I'm enjoying each game as it comes, taking the disappointments on the chin and finding the whole experience much more peasurable as a result. I agree with Alan about the defensive weaknesses in the squad and would love to see them addressed but in the meantime I'm happy to take each performance as it comes and judge on the merits.

[DonnyRTID]

Mike_F wrote:

I agree that we are capable of getting there, but we have to manage our expectations. We win a few games and climb the table and there's a wave of optimism and belief that we will waltz our way to the Premiership. We lose two or three and we're doomed. 'Twas always thus. Sean O'Driscoll has said many a time that he doesn't look at the league table (or certainly not at this stage of the season anyway) and I have for the most part adopted this philosophy. Of course I can't resisit the odd look abery now and then, and come the end of February I'll be following it intently as the season starts drawing in. Until then though I'm enjoying each game as it comes, taking the disappointments on the chin and finding the whole experience much more peasurable as a result. I agree with Alan about the defensive weaknesses in the squad and would love to see them addressed but in the meantime I'm happy to take each performance as it comes and judge on the merits.

Well said Mike

[Viking Don]

Leeds have had some worse results than us and look where they are!

I agree, ban all talk of the play-offs. We should be aiming for auto-promo, if we can ever get a settled back 4 and get players back from injury.

[MrFrost]

Viking Don wrote:

Leeds have had some worse results than us and look where they are!

I agree, ban all talk of the play-offs. We should be aiming for auto-promo, if we can ever get a settled back 4 and get players back from injury.

Automatic promotion??!?!?!

[irishcontingent]

To be absolutly frank i had a look at fixture list at end of October and decided that DRFC would possibly be in bottom 3 at new year, now that seems unlikely, but is a possibility. Likewise i conducted the BBC predictor thing about 3 weeks ago, through to end of season, and using same criteria as i used for bottom 3, had DRFC promoted.
Its just that sort of season i guess, it could go either way.

[Viking Don]

MrFrost wrote:

Viking Don wrote:

Leeds have had some worse results than us and look where they are!

I agree, ban all talk of the play-offs. We should be aiming for auto-promo, if we can ever get a settled back 4 and get players back from injury.

Automatic promotion??!?!?!

Optimism my dear boy. Aim high.

[MrFrost]

We are nearly half way through the season and haven't won back to back games. Realism.

[stockyboy]

I don't think we're ready for the play offs or challenging for the play offs, I even said it before the season started. We only pushed for top half of the table last season and that was towards the end. We really need to use this season to get our defence sorted, finish higher then we did last year, then next year think about pushing for the play offs.

[Bikka]

MrFrost wrote:

Viking Don wrote:

Leeds have had some worse results than us and look where they are!

I agree, ban all talk of the play-offs. We should be aiming for auto-promo, if we can ever get a settled back 4 and get players back from injury.

Automatic promotion??!?!?!

Yes sod that, lets win the plucker

[BobG]

I don't think the concept of irony has been mastered in some parts Don, Bikka!

BobG