Can we get one thing straight?

[Chris Black come back]

This is not the individual fault of Saunders, of McKay or of SOD actually, but over the past two years our defence has been absolutely shocking. Whoever populates our back four immediately transforms themselves into Laurel, Hardy, Walter the Softy and Little Bo Peep. Total pushover. No steel. No organisation. Again and again.

[I-was-there1976]

Job for Alan Hansen as defensive coach ?

[Donnywolf]

This is not the individual fault of Saunders, of McKay or of SOD actually, but over the past two years our defence has been absolutely shocking. Whoever populates our back four immediately transforms themselves into Laurel, Hardy, Walter the Softy and Little Bo Peep. Total pushover. No steel. No organisation. Again and again.

and again

[benaldo]

For me, this was the story of tonights team -

Sullivan - Goodnight, thanks for the memories, you're still better than Gary Woods, but not good enough.

Chimbonda - Playing like he's playing with people as classy as him. Unfortunately they aren't and it sometimes makes him look out of position.
Naylor - Old, slow, experienced, good defender, but too slow.
Martis - Poor, slow, tackles a bit but naive and always looks like something bad is going to happen, which it mostly does.
Friend - terrible. Even worse in midfield! Please, can we get rid of him? He's garbage.

Gillett - Crap. Can't pass, tackle, mark, run, head. I don't know why he's here or who brought him here. Bet Southampton fans are pissing themselves!
Mason - Like a child, too fragile. Not tough enough. Good touches, direct running, but not tough enough.
Illunga - Good player, good tackler, passer, but I think he's too used to playing with better. He looked frustrated...oh, and for a defender, he played in midfield a million times more successfully than a Mr Friend!
Hayter - Ask Sullivan and Gillett for a lift. Legs are going now, was never the most gifted player but his workrate is dropping (which was the only real positive for him in the past).

Sharp - Can't really comment on him tonight. It's not a set of circumstances I would want to play a game of footy under.
Diouf - Pure class. Brilliant flick on's, tackles, passes, tricks. That guy is the best player to have pulled on a Rovers shirt in 50 years.


I have no idea why Dean put Friend in midfield???! It was like watching Helen Keller there, except she would not have been as shit. I was actually laughing at him and so were the people around me. The problem for me is the core centre of the team is shite. From the keeper to the back two to Gillett in the middle, it's like the spine of a jellyfish.

A really shitty performance from the defenders, and the sooner Friend and Martis are shown the loan door, the better! Sullivan and Gillett too! The others are good players, mostly, but those 4 players are so poor it wrecked everything else that anyone was trying to do. The points are squirting out of the Rovers arse like Marrakech campylobacter (which I've actually had) and unless the 4 clueless players are replaced en mass I can't see much hope.

[Chris Black come back]

For me, this was the story of tonights team -

Sullivan - Goodnight, thanks for the memories, you're still better than Gary Woods, but not good enough.

Chimbonda - Playing like he's playing with people as classy as him. Unfortunately they aren't and it sometimes makes him look out of position.
Naylor - Old, slow, experienced, good defender, but too slow.
Martis - Poor, slow, tackles a bit but naive and always looks like something bad is going to happen, which it mostly does.
Friend - terrible. Even worse in midfield! Please, can we get rid of him? He's garbage.

Gillett - Crap. Can't pass, tackle, mark, run, head. I don't know why he's here or who brought him here. Bet Southampton fans are pissing themselves!
Mason - Like a child, too fragile. Not tough enough. Good touches, direct running, but not tough enough.
Illunga - Good player, good tackler, passer, but I think he's too used to playing with better. He looked frustrated...oh, and for a defender, he played in midfield a million times more successfully than a Mr Friend!
Hayter - Ask Sullivan and Gillett for a lift. Legs are going now, was never the most gifted player but his workrate is dropping (which was the only real positive for him in the past).

Sharp - Can't really comment on him tonight. It's not a set of circumstances I would want to play a game of footy under.
Diouf - Pure class. Brilliant flick on's, tackles, passes, tricks. That guy is the best player to have pulled on a Rovers shirt in 50 years.


I have no idea why Dean put Friend in midfield???! It was like watching Helen Keller there, except she would not have been as shit. I was actually laughing at him and so were the people around me. The problem for me is the core centre of the team is shite. From the keeper to the back two to Gillett in the middle, it's like the spine of a jellyfish.

A really shitty performance from the defenders, and the sooner Friend and Martis are shown the loan door, the better! Sullivan and Gillett too! The others are good players, mostly, but those 4 players are so poor it wrecked everything else that anyone was trying to do. The points are squirting out of the Rovers arse like Marrakech campylobacter (which I've actually had) and unless the 4 clueless players are replaced en mass I can't see much hope.

Two statements in particular stand out here:

1. \"Martis - Poor, slow, tackles a bit but naive and always looks like something bad is going to happen, which it mostly does.\" I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't think this is the case. It is hand in mouth time every time the ball gets in our HALF for fear it might go near Shelton. Poor bas**rd, life has not dealt him a kind hand.

2. \"Diouf - Pure class. Brilliant flick on's, tackles, passes, tricks. That guy is the best player to have pulled on a Rovers shirt in 50 years.\" Perhaps laying this on a bit thick Bennyboy?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I have no idea why Dean put Friend in midfield???!

I didn't like the idea, but we were warned that this might happen sooner or later. Saunders mentioned he would like to try him in midfield at some point. Now he has done, he's learned more.

What we don't know is the reason he switched Friend and Ilunga around and took Mason off. Was it because Friend was having a mare at full back??

I'll give Friend the credit for making the centre back position his best. Whether it's our best is another question however, at full back there's a reasonable risk he'll get found wanting with his lack of pace over 5 yards.

Can't agree about Mason. Of the two yougsters, Bennett and Mason, Bennett was the one who looked like a boy amongst men. I'm still hopeful that both of these will do well providing they are managed well.

Defensively, so many questions but the constant changing of personnel is a sign of how fragile we are there at the moment. Even with Saunders, the twilight zone of the last 3 or 4 minutes of a half continue to haunt us. It has to be a mental thing as much as a competence thing and the sooner we address it the better.

It's hard not to be too critical but let's be right, in the first half, mainly in the first 25 minutes, it's probably the best we've played for a while. We just cannot keep up the required intensity to keep teams on the back foot.

Give Middlesbrough some credit, they played well tonight and did the basics over the 90 minutes much better than we did giving them a good platform.

It was a privilege however to witness how Billy dealt with his very sad loss. Taking to the field was a miracle but to produce a stunner like that was a fitting tribute. I salute you.

[Wade Falana]

For me, this was the story of tonights team -

Sullivan - Goodnight, thanks for the memories, you're still better than Gary Woods, but not good enough.

Chimbonda - Playing like he's playing with people as classy as him. Unfortunately they aren't and it sometimes makes him look out of position.
Naylor - Old, slow, experienced, good defender, but too slow.
Martis - Poor, slow, tackles a bit but naive and always looks like something bad is going to happen, which it mostly does.
Friend - terrible. Even worse in midfield! Please, can we get rid of him? He's garbage.

Gillett - Crap. Can't pass, tackle, mark, run, head. I don't know why he's here or who brought him here. Bet Southampton fans are pissing themselves!
Mason - Like a child, too fragile. Not tough enough. Good touches, direct running, but not tough enough.
Illunga - Good player, good tackler, passer, but I think he's too used to playing with better. He looked frustrated...oh, and for a defender, he played in midfield a million times more successfully than a Mr Friend!
Hayter - Ask Sullivan and Gillett for a lift. Legs are going now, was never the most gifted player but his workrate is dropping (which was the only real positive for him in the past).

Sharp - Can't really comment on him tonight. It's not a set of circumstances I would want to play a game of footy under.
Diouf - Pure class. Brilliant flick on's, tackles, passes, tricks. That guy is the best player to have pulled on a Rovers shirt in 50 years.


I have no idea why Dean put Friend in midfield???! It was like watching Helen Keller there, except she would not have been as shit. I was actually laughing at him and so were the people around me. The problem for me is the core centre of the team is shite. From the keeper to the back two to Gillett in the middle, it's like the spine of a jellyfish.

A really shitty performance from the defenders, and the sooner Friend and Martis are shown the loan door, the better! Sullivan and Gillett too! The others are good players, mostly, but those 4 players are so poor it wrecked everything else that anyone was trying to do. The points are squirting out of the Rovers arse like Marrakech campylobacter (which I've actually had) and unless the 4 clueless players are replaced en mass I can't see much hope.

Completely agree with all of that Benaldo. I've never understood this love for Friend, Illunga at left back for me every time.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

The thing is you can cope with players like Bennett, Mason, Gillett (small but talented players) no problem.  But we've got too many of them at the same time.

Saunders has picked out the weaknesses so it'll take time for him to sort them, midfield clearly is a big issue.

I'm a big Mason fan but everytime he plays you think he's about to get injured, he's too fragile.  Last night he needed to step up and failed really. He's got ability but you would argue that he can't do it without bigger players around him.  Sadly for us at the moment that's a huge problem in midfield, we badly need the Stock, Oster, Woods players in the side and some new bigger players.

As for Martis, he does what he does, but needs better support from midfield.  Friend for me is still not a left back and should be at centre half, get Ilunga back at left back where he should be also.

[Donnylass]

For me, this was the story of tonights team -


Sharp - Can't really comment on him tonight. It's not a set of circumstances I would want to play a game of footy under.

The circumstances might not have been great, but it's the best I've seen him play for ages. At one point he was helping Friend defend down the left side. He was going for everything, he gave it his all. I'm not just saying that because of what's happened. Of late he's looked frustrated and slow- but not last night.

[Superspy]

He was back defending that side more than once. Last night was a phenomenal performance by him.

[DRFCBRADFORD]

IF ANY  MIDFIELD  CANT TACKLE AND DEFEND  LIKE OURS CANT , DOSENT MATTER HOW GOD THE BACK 4 IS UR GOIN TO LOSE LETS STOP BLAMING OUR DEFENCE ALL THE TIME.SAUNDERS NOS THE PROBLEM IS THE MIDFIELD THATS WHY HES PLAYIN A DEFENDER IN THERE .

OUR  MIDFIELD IS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH

[alisonoconnor]

Oh my I agree with everything after the game last night I tried going to bed to sleep but was awake half the night windering what he hell are we going to do, face the fact this team are garbage right now with no Stock and Woods in the midfield. The back four are awful and like the comment earlier I felt that everytime Martis got the ball wondered where the hell he was going to kick likewise with Sully. I have lost all confidence in the team we have now.

[keyser_soze]

Without asking (or wanting) to know about the full details of Billy's loss, Deano alluded that it is something that 'has been hanging over him a long time', and could perhaps be an additional explanation as to why he hasn't quite found his form since returning from injury.

[CJK]

A keeper has been needed for two years to lay the foundations for a better defence. Unfortunately Sully has let a couple of sloppy goals in again and its costing us big time now. Chimbonda for me, isn't putting 100% in as he probably doesn't want to get injured, the centre halves are getting beaten and Friend has had a dodgy couple of games at full back, he's gone back in time recently.

For me the priority is finding a keeper and then you can build the rest on that.

[Padge_DRFC]

Diouf best player to have pulled on a Rovers shirt? Based on that performance, someone must have put something in your prawn sandwiches. He thinks he's a referee.

[hoolahoop]

A keeper has been needed for two years to lay the foundations for a better defence. Unfortunately Sully has let a couple of sloppy goals in again and its costing us big time now. Chimbonda for me, isn't putting 100% in as he probably doesn't want to get injured, the centre halves are getting beaten and Friend has had a dodgy couple of games at full back, he's gone back in time recently.

For me the priority is finding a keeper and then you can build the rest on that.[/quote]

That will be sorted pretty soon by all accounts and then we can all get back to properly supporting the team we love. Last night there was plenty of support for Billy (natural and from all 4 stands) but not enough for the team.
How can they believe in themselves when we patently aren't able to support them, it's going to be a long, hard and cold season if we are only supporting when we score.

[Padge_DRFC]

If DRFC take the cash when the inevitable bids come in we will go down without him. No 3 month ex foreign flop will replace him.

[RedJ]

I dunno about anyone else, but I feel sorry for Hayter when Billy Sharp's name is read out in the way that it is, then his name said (relatively) quietly afterwards.

Largely agree with Benaldo's comments, especially on Diouf - magnificent, until he went to sleep for long periods of the second half..

[jonnydog]

Largely agree with Benaldo's comments, especially on Diouf - magnificent, until he went to sleep for long periods of the second half..

I think once he's 100% match fit he'll be as different again. He looked shattered towards him being brought off. Credit to him though, was professional throughout, didn't get involved in any spats and long may it continue, cos his lay off for Sharps volley was class

[benaldo]

Yeah, Diouf hasn't played footy for 5 months so he's obviously not fully fit. But he is absolutely going to rip this division to shreds...even playing for us, when he's fit!! What a talented footballer. If he hadn't done all the silliness in the past he'd be playing in the top flight right now!

[i_ateallthepies]

For me, this was the story of tonights team -

Sullivan - Goodnight, thanks for the memories, you're still better than Gary Woods, but not good enough.

Chimbonda - Playing like he's playing with people as classy as him. Unfortunately they aren't and it sometimes makes him look out of position.
Naylor - Old, slow, experienced, good defender, but too slow.
Martis - Poor, slow, tackles a bit but naive and always looks like something bad is going to happen, which it mostly does.
Friend - terrible. Even worse in midfield! Please, can we get rid of him? He's garbage.

Gillett - Crap. Can't pass, tackle, mark, run, head. I don't know why he's here or who brought him here. Bet Southampton fans are pissing themselves!
Mason - Like a child, too fragile. Not tough enough. Good touches, direct running, but not tough enough.
Illunga - Good player, good tackler, passer, but I think he's too used to playing with better. He looked frustrated...oh, and for a defender, he played in midfield a million times more successfully than a Mr Friend!
Hayter - Ask Sullivan and Gillett for a lift. Legs are going now, was never the most gifted player but his workrate is dropping (which was the only real positive for him in the past).

Sharp - Can't really comment on him tonight. It's not a set of circumstances I would want to play a game of footy under.
Diouf - Pure class. Brilliant flick on's, tackles, passes, tricks. That guy is the best player to have pulled on a Rovers shirt in 50 years.


I have no idea why Dean put Friend in midfield???! It was like watching Helen Keller there, except she would not have been as shit. I was actually laughing at him and so were the people around me. The problem for me is the core centre of the team is shite. From the keeper to the back two to Gillett in the middle, it's like the spine of a jellyfish.

A really shitty performance from the defenders, and the sooner Friend and Martis are shown the loan door, the better! Sullivan and Gillett too! The others are good players, mostly, but those 4 players are so poor it wrecked everything else that anyone was trying to do. The points are squirting out of the Rovers arse like Marrakech campylobacter (which I've actually had) and unless the 4 clueless players are replaced en mass I can't see much hope.

I think I know why he put Friend in midfield, Ilunga was total pants.  Benaldyo did you watch the game through your backside???  Did you notice when things started to go wrong for us? it was after Hayter and Ilunga switched sides.  When Ilunga came over to the left he was never bloody there.  Huge great swathes of the pitch without a red wshirt in it and usually two Boro players streaming forward through the bloody great hole where Ilunga was supposed to be!!!  And as for closing down??? Jesus H C!!!

[Norfolk N Chance]

This is not the individual fault of Saunders, of McKay or of SOD actually, but over the past two years our defence has been absolutely shocking. Whoever populates our back four immediately transforms themselves into Laurel, Hardy, Walter the Softy and Little Bo Peep. Total pushover. No steel. No organisation. Again and again.

Sorry nothing to do with defence and sadly my first point against Saunders that was an ill thought out team.....

Gillet (no where near good enough), Mason (flair player/ v young) and Illunga (seasoned pro / playing out position - who performed good on Sat)to form a midfield????

UNREAL ......so of course wave and wave of attack ....STOCK/ OSTER/WOODS only ball players at the club!!!

You know not rocket science you win the ball and pass .....but perhaps we won nothing last night!!!!:cry:  

Furthermore its the existing team to blame, no one else as thought McKay signings did ok!

[scuzzer]

Yeah, Diouf hasn't played footy for 5 months so he's obviously not fully fit. But he is absolutely going to rip this division to shreds...even playing for us, when he's fit!! What a talented footballer. If he hadn't done all the silliness in the past he'd be playing in the top flight right now!

Couldn't agree more on the assessment of Diouf, i was shocked by how much better he was than anyone else on the pitch, his control and skill were incredible. If he hadn't been such an arsehole on repeated occasions he'd be playing at the top end of the Premier League not just in it. I'm excited to see how he progresses over the coming weeks, i wonder if he could play centre half?!

[Norfolk N Chance]

Yeah, Diouf hasn't played footy for 5 months so he's obviously not fully fit. But he is absolutely going to rip this division to shreds...even playing for us, when he's fit!! What a talented footballer. If he hadn't done all the silliness in the past he'd be playing in the top flight right now!

Couldn't agree more on the assessment of Diouf, i was shocked by how much better he was than anyone else on the pitch, his control and skill were incredible. If he hadn't been such an arsehole on repeated occasions he'd be playing at the top end of the Premier League not just in it. I'm excited to see how he progresses over the coming weeks, i wonder if he could play centre half?!

Great points guys ...totally true !!!

The reason we have hardly won all year is cos we are not good enough so lets not hide behind the new personnel!

[Draytonian III]

\"Best Player to pull on a Rovers shirt in 50 years \", are you sure have a quick think back