Clueless

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Why not bring back the previous Manager while you are at it?

I wish, but i'll back the manager hopefully he'll get the team knowing what they are doing and realise the players we have are not going to do well hoofing it around.

To be fair the previous manager did leave us with a squad that's talented but physically very weak and that has to change.  I thought first half last night we played some really good passing football at times.  We do seem to be getting there in short spells, but not yet consistently.  We went longer second half when the midfield simply disappeared.  Partly because we are weak in that area and partly because Boro changed their tactics to deal with it better.

[Superspy]

Am I the only person who thought that for the first 20 minutes last night we proved that we are good enough for this level? We chased everything down, pressed them in their own half, got the ball forward quickly and looked like we were going to walk it (assuming we could keep the work rate up). Then 5 minutes after our goal we reverted to type and started watching them play and drawing pressure onto ourselves, sitting off and not getting a foot in....what the hell happened?

[Mr1Croft]

Am I the only person who thought that for the first 20 minutes last night we proved that we are good enough for this level? We chased everything down, pressed them in their own half, got the ball forward quickly and looked like we were going to walk it (assuming we could keep the work rate up). Then 5 minutes after our goal we reverted to type and started watching them play and drawing pressure onto ourselves, sitting off and not getting a foot in....what the hell happened?

Exactly; to be good enough for this level you have to perform for 90 minutes not twenty.

Boro weren't even at their best and they still battered us.

Is Dean Saunders even telling the team anything ? Because the way they line up, the way they play football and the way they defend its like they are still playing under SOD, but worse...

[rtid88]

For the 1st 20-30 mins last night we were by far the better team! After two blunders by Sully and a penalty that was given after the ball had gone out of play, Dean Saunders is clueless!! For gods sake give the guy a chance!! How is he supposed to get players that have been playing a certain style for so long and a bunch of players that have only been with the squad either a few weeks or a few days to gel!! Things may not improve for a few months, but I think come the end of the season we will be fine but it might be close!

Support the manager, the players and Sir JR for gods sake and quit ur moaning!!

[scuzzer]

It feels like taking your beloved Ferrari to a blind backstreet mechanic, seeing Rovers in the hands of Saunders. While he is here we are only heading in one direction, i've used the same clueless word to describe it elsewhere, its the kindest word i could use after watching him at v close quarters in the dugout last night.

Pitiful.

[Superspy]

Am I the only person who thought that for the first 20 minutes last night we proved that we are good enough for this level? We chased everything down, pressed them in their own half, got the ball forward quickly and looked like we were going to walk it (assuming we could keep the work rate up). Then 5 minutes after our goal we reverted to type and started watching them play and drawing pressure onto ourselves, sitting off and not getting a foot in....what the hell happened?

Exactly; to be good enough for this level you have to perform for 90 minutes not twenty.

But that's the thing, from watching the game I didn't think that fitness was the reason we couldn't perform longer than 20 minutes, it seemed more like a mentality thing.

[Mr1Croft]

For the 1st 20-30 mins last night we were by far the better team! After two blunders by Sully and a penalty that was given after the ball had gone out of play, Dean Saunders is clueless!! For gods sake give the guy a chance!! How is he supposed to get players that have been playing a certain style for so long and a bunch of players that have only been with the squad either a few weeks or a few days to gel!! Things may not improve for a few months, but I think come the end of the season we will be fine but it might be close!

Support the manager, the players and Sir JR for gods sake and quit ur moaning!!

Again blaming Sully is a cowards way of sharing the blame. The Whole midfield and defence were at fault for both goals, we keep making mistakes when we know we can't rely on our keeper. But I agree the first 20 minutes was perhaps the best I have ever seen DRFC under saunders, the team gelled then, and we looked a finished atricle; then we slowly took our foot off the gas and the game collapsed inwards on us.

Wasn't he appointed to turn our season around straight away; despite a slow revival we are now where we started again.

He said himself that he doesn't want to change the style of football, just start scoring more and conceding less, so what eactly is he trying to get the team to do? What is left for the team to gel because yesterday the team gelled, we took the lead and then threw it away.

His excuses are slowly running out

[rtid88]

Someone that is given a 3 year deal is not here just to sort out a short term problem sorry!! Yeah blaming Sully is the option, but to be fair yes the midfield and defence were clearly at fault as well but Sully should have saved the shots for the 1st two goals! If they had not got back into the game at that point then who knows what the end result would have been!!

[RoversAlias]

Who can we blame next...

*rubs hands together with glee*

Wait...hang on, everybody has already got it covered. It's the injuries! It's not the injuries! It's the defence! It's Sullivan! It's Friend! It's everyone but Friend! It's Ilunga! It's Saunders! No it's McKay! It's Donny Dog!

Let's face it, the team has no confidence, no cohesion because we don't have a settled side due largely to an injury disaster and we can't afford to sign the Barcelona team. If we get 3-4 new first team players in, and soon, then we might be okay. We need a new 'spine' in two respects - one meaning the centre of the team (Goalkeeper, Centre Half, Centre Midfielder, Support Striker) and the other meaning that we need to find somebody, anybody who knows how to tackle an opposition player properly.

Let's see how we fair against Ipswich, another three points on the table...

[i_ateallthepies]

Personally I am slowly getting more and more worried.

It has taken weeks for the team to 'gel' under Dean Saunders, and tonight we played exceptionally well in the first 20-25 minutes; we then started to slow things down and Middlesboro took control of the game as it went on. We took care of their key player (Emnes) very well but we left too much room for the other players to step in and shine.

Billy Sharps was a great goal, but watching it from the east stand at the halfway line and their was more a fluke than skill. But with it bieng Billy son's night it was always whistling into the net the minute it left his boot, no complaints from me.

My only problem is; we have a new manager, the team is beginning to gel, and yet I don't see any difference between this set-up and the the Doncaster Rovers under SOD. You can still see SOD's philosphy is still there; Hayter and Diouf constantly switching sides, defenders in midfield, and a defence that at best plays risky football.

Is this as good as it gets?

Am I reading that comment right???  That was a goal out of the top drawer.  I was in the west stand and watched it on the local news last night which only confirmed what I saw at the time. . . . a cleaner hit volley you wont see at the 'moat this season.

[Capmeister]

Ur obviously a big fat yorkshire pudding for reason. If ur at Ipswich, which I very much doubt, I'll happily re-educate you................on second thoughts that could prove impossible as I've yet to establish how amoebas communicate. It's possibly not dissimilar to how Saunders imparts tactics to his players.....mmmmm, sorry he has none. Strange how Wrexham seem to progressing without him. JR, I truly apologise for this as you will always be one of my heros, what have you done? BFYP, that's rhethorical by the way!

Firstly, get your facts right I've been to every game this season and all bar one last, although I'm not actually going to Ipswich on Saturday as I disagree with £31 to watch a football game, close derbies maybe but adding in travel I'd rather save the cash.  The rest of that bile doesn't even warrant a reply, if you've nothing worthwhile to say then I wouldn't bother, I'm on here to talk about football not my level of intelligence (of which you have no idea so I suggest you keep it shut).

Ipswich: ur not going. 1-0 to me. Then some lame arsed justification. Then u proceed to warrant a reply when u say u wont. 2-0 to me. Then u say u want to talk about footy..........which is where u lost me. Prize clown. Tell u what I'll give u a lift just pay for ur ticket at Ipswich. Cant say fairer than that. What'd u say?

[Capmeister]

It feels like taking your beloved Ferrari to a blind backstreet mechanic, seeing Rovers in the hands of Saunders. While he is here we are only heading in one direction, i've used the same clueless word to describe it elsewhere, its the kindest word i could use after watching him at v close quarters in the dugout last night.

Pitiful.

The analogy is spot on. O'Driscoll was the only one capable of polishing up turds to play in a cohesive unit and potentially unearth gems. Bennett being an example of the latter. Saunders lumping him in the side just demonstrates his hamfisted approach. He's in danger of stifling talent not nuturing it. I sat up 2 hours last nite, sad as I am mulling over the performance, looking for positives. Deano is not giving me anything to believe in. At Donny, we do nothing by halves.It's either spectacular success the last 10 years or the ignominy of the conference years and now potentially this growing risk of catastrophy.

[bedale rover]

Bedale or Bidet? I prefer the latter. Would u be endorsing the Ilunga selection? Ur point seems to be stating a fact not unusual for someone smoking crack or equvilant. Is ur middle name buffoon by any chance? Only reply if ur answer has some pertinance to the topic

i obviouly have to bow to your superior intellect and would in no way question your footballing expertise (unlike your crap spelling)

however i would make the following points
illunga a full back playing as a holding midfielder and if as pointed out we have so few midfielders so why didnt we play gillett a midfielder unless i miss my guess in that position which he probably has the skill to do and put illunga at left midfield ie a wing back type role which he would be able to adapt to instaed he was asked to play an unfamiliar role before he was moved back to left back
hayter a legend  but not really good enough to play left ?wing and started the rot by being completely unable to control a simple ball
finally friend managed 3 shots within 10 minutes after moving to that role worth another go?

[RoversAlias]

Ur obviously a big fat yorkshire pudding for reason. If ur at Ipswich, which I very much doubt, I'll happily re-educate you................on second thoughts that could prove impossible as I've yet to establish how amoebas communicate. It's possibly not dissimilar to how Saunders imparts tactics to his players.....mmmmm, sorry he has none. Strange how Wrexham seem to progressing without him. JR, I truly apologise for this as you will always be one of my heros, what have you done? BFYP, that's rhethorical by the way!

Firstly, get your facts right I've been to every game this season and all bar one last, although I'm not actually going to Ipswich on Saturday as I disagree with £31 to watch a football game, close derbies maybe but adding in travel I'd rather save the cash.  The rest of that bile doesn't even warrant a reply, if you've nothing worthwhile to say then I wouldn't bother, I'm on here to talk about football not my level of intelligence (of which you have no idea so I suggest you keep it shut).

Ipswich: ur not going. 1-0 to me. Then some lame arsed justification. Then u proceed to warrant a reply when u say u wont. 2-0 to me. Then u say u want to talk about footy..........which is where u lost me. Prize clown. Tell u what I'll give u a lift just pay for ur ticket at Ipswich. Cant say fairer than that. What'd u say?

Are the letters 'y' and 'o' missing from your keyboard or are you just a hater of the word 'you'?

Anyway, stop with this righteous nonsense just because BFYP isn't going to Ipswich. Get a grip.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I love it. The first game I'm not going to in two years and I'm less of a fan... Great stuff.

[Capmeister]

Ur obviously a big fat yorkshire pudding for reason. If ur at Ipswich, which I very much doubt, I'll happily re-educate you................on second thoughts that could prove impossible as I've yet to establish how amoebas communicate. It's possibly not dissimilar to how Saunders imparts tactics to his players.....mmmmm, sorry he has none. Strange how Wrexham seem to progressing without him. JR, I truly apologise for this as you will always be one of my heros, what have you done? BFYP, that's rhethorical by the way!

Firstly, get your facts right I've been to every game this season and all bar one last, although I'm not actually going to Ipswich on Saturday as I disagree with £31 to watch a football game, close derbies maybe but adding in travel I'd rather save the cash.  The rest of that bile doesn't even warrant a reply, if you've nothing worthwhile to say then I wouldn't bother, I'm on here to talk about football not my level of intelligence (of which you have no idea so I suggest you keep it shut).

Ipswich: ur not going. 1-0 to me. Then some lame arsed justification. Then u proceed to warrant a reply when u say u wont. 2-0 to me. Then u say u want to talk about footy..........which is where u lost me. Prize clown. Tell u what I'll give u a lift just pay for ur ticket at Ipswich. Cant say fairer than that. What'd u say?

Are the letters 'y' and 'o' missing from your keyboard or are you just a hater of the word 'you'?

Anyway, stop with this righteous nonsense just because BFYP isn't going to Ipswich. Get a grip.

Can you not go either Bedale? Mobile posts are particularly frustrating B. I guess you can trump my English degree which covered discipline in language around structure, sociolinguistic and historical form. Try the vet books from your neck of the woods before you start pontificating about my grammar.

[Capmeister]

I love it. The first game I'm not going to in two years and I'm less of a fan... Great stuff.

Did I say you were less of a fan..........it was cost a minute ago! I offer to lessen the financial burden and now you've something else on ffs get your story straight Aunt Bessie

[PDX_Rover]

Very erudite observations.  b*llocks, but erudite b*llocks.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I love it. The first game I'm not going to in two years and I'm less of a fan... Great stuff.

Did I say you were less of a fan..........it was cost a minute ago! I offer to lessen the financial burden and now you've something else on ffs get your story straight Aunt Bessie

I'm not aware my story had changed

I'll be listening online on Saturday afternoon.

[Mr1Croft]

Personally I am slowly getting more and more worried.

It has taken weeks for the team to 'gel' under Dean Saunders, and tonight we played exceptionally well in the first 20-25 minutes; we then started to slow things down and Middlesboro took control of the game as it went on. We took care of their key player (Emnes) very well but we left too much room for the other players to step in and shine.

Billy Sharps was a great goal, but watching it from the east stand at the halfway line and their was more a fluke than skill. But with it bieng Billy son's night it was always whistling into the net the minute it left his boot, no complaints from me.

My only problem is; we have a new manager, the team is beginning to gel, and yet I don't see any difference between this set-up and the the Doncaster Rovers under SOD. You can still see SOD's philosphy is still there; Hayter and Diouf constantly switching sides, defenders in midfield, and a defence that at best plays risky football.

Is this as good as it gets?

Am I reading that comment right???  That was a goal out of the top drawer.  I was in the west stand and watched it on the local news last night which only confirmed what I saw at the time. . . . a cleaner hit volley you wont see at the 'moat this season.

I don't really want to argue about the goal. Don't get wrong I enjoyed it as much as any goal and is probably the best goal we have seen at the Keepmoat (either that or the screamer we conceded against Carlisle in 2007). I just think luck played a very big part in that finding the back of the net, any other day and that was bouncing off the Keepmoat roof, with it bieng Billy's night it whistled in.

[benaldo]

Personally, and I was at the halfway line in the east stand (funny, I didn't see any people \"pretending to be drunk\" or getting thrown out on Tuesday night? Are you sure you were there crofty?

I thought it was a good goal from my angle. And what an absolutely amazing bit of skill from Diouf! He volleyed the ball to Sharp with the outside of his boot from 20 yards over the defenders....what skill!!!!!! What a player!!

[Bristol Red Rover]

Who can we blame next...

*rubs hands together with glee*

Wait...hang on, everybody has already got it covered. It's the injuries! It's not the injuries! It's the defence! It's Sullivan! It's Friend! It's everyone but Friend! It's Ilunga! It's Saunders! No it's McKay! It's Donny Dog!

Let's face it, the team has no confidence, no cohesion because we don't have a settled side due largely to an injury disaster and we can't afford to sign the Barcelona team. If we get 3-4 new first team players in, and soon, then we might be okay. We need a new 'spine' in two respects - one meaning the centre of the team (Goalkeeper, Centre Half, Centre Midfielder, Support Striker) and the other meaning that we need to find somebody, anybody who knows how to tackle an opposition player properly.

Let's see how we fair against Ipswich, another three points on the table...

Spot on RA

[Mr1Croft]

Personally, and I was at the halfway line in the east stand (funny, I didn't see any people \"pretending to be drunk\" or getting thrown out on Tuesday night? Are you sure you were there crofty?

I thought it was a good goal from my angle. And what an absolutely amazing bit of skill from Diouf! He volleyed the ball to Sharp with the outside of his boot from 20 yards over the defenders....what skill!!!!!! What a player!!

For the record Benny I have been to many Rovers games down the years and only in the last two seasons I have stopped going to 40+ games a season, I would prefer it if you didn't judge me on only a couple of incidents, but so be it, I have already admitted I have been a fool in the past and nothing I say can change that. Besides I was only in East stand for the better grub...

As for the goal (I was sat just to the right of the Halfway line, and the flick on from Douif was first class and top notch; the angle made it look so much better; stunning goal.