Dickov....f**koff

[The Red Baron]

I agree about "injuries." We really can't use that as an excuse any more. OK, Duffy was out yesterday but the obvious replacements were either Cotterill or Husband (with Stevens at left-back). We went 4-3-3 earlier in the season at Reading and had to change it after 20-odd minutes because we were being over-run.

[CJK]

When the season started how many of us would have been happy with finishing 4th from bottom? I know I would take that. Now that doesn't mean I have a negative expectation, it means I've considered all the data available, the league we're playing in, the other teams budgets, the size of the other teams, our budget, our expected revenue streams etc etc. Let's face it, we're Doncaster Rovers not Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester or Derby who all have greater aspirations and greater resources.

I have no problem admitting that the squad looked thin in August but the fact is that we simply can't afford a Championship quality squad, perhaps on our day when injuries and suspensions aren't haunting us we can just about say we can produce a Championship standard starting eleven; I really think our best eleven is comfortable at this level. I think the comments about Forrester are pretty harsh, when he's played he looks every ounce a Championship player, you can't mitigate for an unfortunate run of injuries. Sharp would have made a big difference the last three games, but he was stupid and had to take the punishment; lets hope he comes back firing as he knows he owes us big style for his mistake.

So looking at the table with thirteen to play, we're fifth from bottom, ok there are a few teams with games in hand and we're on a bad run, but really, did we expect to be much higher than our current status? Our away form has been disappointing and I'm not sure PD has got it right some of the time, I think sometimes he is a victim of his own bravery, for instance yesterday, packing the middle of the park would probably have been a better option, in my opinion of course.

The real problem is the football culture in which we find ourselves now, Managers are sacked after three losses, after a bad run of not scoring many or sometimes sacked for succeeding. Generally its the fans fault, we expect far too much in too little time. Ten or fifteen years ago, Managers would have got at least two or three seasons to make their mark on a team, now its sometimes ten or fifteen games. Lets judge PD at the end of the season and hold an inquest then. If we finish 21st I for one will be celebrating as for me, and for Doncaster Rovers, that is moderate success.

[graingrover]

SM ... don't waster your time trying to support the club against attacks from rival club supporters aided and abetted by the wimps who claim to be our supporters

[BigH]

SM ... don't waster your time trying to support the club against attacks from rival club supporters aided and abetted by the wimps who claim to be our supporters

Ok then Graing try this one. My old man, a pensioner, spent £50 going to the game yesterday. His take: "Rovers were as poor as I've seen", "our keeper was man of the match and the only player that could come away from the game with any credit". So he's a wimp?

I'll tell you what I'm fed up of: a) deluded, complacent supporters who seem to think that just because we're 5th from bottom now we'll be 4th or 5th from bottom come the end of the season and b) deluded, complacent players/management that happily take £4-10k a week (a week!) for peddling the kind of crap that was dished up yesterday. I guess that makes me a wimp.

The people who need to man up are the players. Simple as. Until they realise that they are playing for the fans, the club and their own careers it's not going to happen is it. Last week was a wake up call. So what was yesterday?

[River Don]

Big H

All footballers take that kind of money and often more in this league. JR was always keen to emphasise that our players deserve more support precisely because they are earning less.

[guitarman]

redj dont be so rude no need

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

We've been inconsistent and obviously must have deservedly beaten by a better team yesterday.

We just have to improve and that's the big challenge. We must learn from yesterday and that's all that matters.  More results like that though and it'll be worrying.

In my opinion it's clear. Dickov must get until the end of the season. It's pointless sacking him.  But if we go down that's the point to make that decision.

[Glyn_Wigley]

redj dont be so rude no need

The same applies to the title you gave this thread.

[guitarman]

ok fair play maybe a bit extreme

[mrfrostsdad]

I think Big H has hit the nail on the head there TBH.
We all spend our hard earned cash going to watch our team and the minimum we expect is for them to put a shift in for the fantastic salaries they earn. If we get beat and they leave nothing on the pitch, fair enough. Unfortunately, too many times this season, some of them have not broken sweat. No need to name them, we all know who they are.

I just hope they're up for the fight because we'll need plenty of that the next 13 games.

[dickos1]

How you can comment on players not putting a shift in if you weren't there is beyond me.
Forest have a huge squad and are going through their worst spell of their season so not a great comparison.
Of course sharp counts, it's not dickovs fault he isn't available is it

[Sammy Chung was King]

I Can understand some of us getting a bit nervy after that result,but you have to look at ''The Nature of the Beast'' The Championship'',there are four of five real top teams,who are consistently decent,then the rest of the league's form is up and down,any of the rest can beat each other,there's practically nothing between us and the rest of those,practically everyone of those teams have had days like we had yesterday,just like us Bournemouth have talented players,who if the other side's off form,will take advantage,in League one as bad as we were we might have nicked a draw,i say might because we were terrible.

It doesn't bother me in the slightest whether we get the points against the ''Top teams'' or ''Bottom'',though i worry myself when we don't seem to get up for games against teams of a similar standard,as it puts big pressure on the games against the better teams,the good thing is,we have good experienced players,who will have faced games after heavy defeats many times,so it won't phase them,this is where your Tamas,Meite,Khumalo,Wellens,Sharp,Coppinger come into play,Dickov has had a ''Very challenging'' first season at this level,i think Forrester getting injured so early has deprived us of potentially our best wide player,for me it will be tight,but we'll be alright.

[SoundbiteBarmyArmy]

Right, I've thinking about this for a considerable amount of time now regards Paul Dickov.

I'm not one of these who thinks he should be sacked (I like his work ethic & the amount of effort he seems to put in), but what is getting to me is the fact that when we went on that bad run over Christmas it was mainly due to injuries, when we had all these injuries Dickov didn't seem to have a plan B!

Now we're on another bad run, but this time we have what can be considered a very strong, capable team.

Something can't be right in the camp! How/why are we conceeding 5 goals against a team who, dare I say it, are no better than us and pretty much in the same boat when it comes to stature and fan base!?

[RedJ]

There's been a throat bug running through the squad. Obviously not everyone will have got it, and the people who did will have had it to varying degrees, and I'm aware that you can't excuse 5-0 hammerings but it can't have helped.

[dickos1]

Bournemouth have spent a hell of a lot of money thicker the last 2 years. More than we could ever dream of

[mrfrostsdad]

Dickos,
I wasn't talking about people putting a shift in just on Saturday. No I wasn't there. We have one or two who have done nothing all season and don't look as though they give a monkeys. I'm not going to name them, plenty have on here, and plenty have abused them quite openly on Twitter. Personally, I don't us it and I don't agree with abusing people like that in an open forum.
You don't have to be abusive to criticise someone. I've been as critical as anyone by some peoples performances, including the manager. As far as I'm aware I don't think I've been openly abusive. And when they've played well, I come on here and say they've played well.