Let's talk about the Mansfield Town game

[selby]

 The third game in the terrible three games at Christmas that is on course for us to become the fall guys of Christmas, and have no Christmas cheer for any of us at all.
    The introduction of Flint in the second half at Notts County the only present we have had up to press when the lad improved our central defence ten fold when coming on at half time in the Notts County game, due to injury to Anderson and Olowu in the first half, who were being systematically taken apart before leaving the field of play
     There would be no loans out for Faulkner and Flint for me, they would learn their trade here playing first team football when fit as they are the best we have got and with Wood could learn off him and could be big money earners for the club handled correctly and brought through, could somebody please have a lightbulb moment?
   The Mansfield game is another hard game, a manager who knows the game back to front, a team that is in form, strong and hard to play against most of what we are not, and we will have to raise our game from todays level lot's to even compete.
   Thankfully the transfer window is fast coming upon us and hopefully we can get some of the right calibre players in to change things for the better. Midfield is an area for this game we are stuck with what we have, but needs looking seriously at strengthening as we are too easy to play against, just pulled and passed by all over the place, Faal dropping back more likely to start something off  more often than our so called play makers, who are average on the ball and very poor off the ball.
  Due to injury and form Grant has few options  unless some players come back early, and that's a risk not worth taking, but no way is the team ending the game at Notts County good enough to start at Mansfield, Kuleya especially miles off it, and ripped apart three time in short time today.
  Very little space for movement, Goodman, Adamson, and Brown  who I think may be injured the best of the youth and very good players who will graft and have skill, Adamson and Goodman strikers, Brown attacking midfield. I can't see it happening but I would involve them to the end of the season or have them out in men's football at a good level if possible on loan and training with the first team here at Cantley.
  So in short we go to one of the best teams in the division low on confidence, decimated by injury, and if that's not enough in poor form, what would you do? how would you try and counter it?  Wood and Faulkner are not far away, this game might be too soon, but when fit like me would you play them as first choice central defenders with Bailey and Flint another cover as defensive mid fielders in front in mid field with two play makers, hopefully new signings ?
  Not a lot wrong up front given the service in my opinion, what would you do? Lot's to discuss, questions and answers to be found, and an upturn in form needed, please have your say
 
   

[drfchound]

I just hope that we get our signings done early in the month instead of the last few days as often happens.

[Bentley Bullet]

Christmas is the Becher's Brook of the football season and the trilogy of games Rovers have played over the festive period has confirmed that the truth is we are quite rubbish.

Anything other than predicting a defeat at Mansfield would be over-optimistic.

[Butchers Red]

After the horrors of Anderson,Olowu and Biggins today - tarnishing some of the other lads unfairly - I'll be there supporting the majority of younger lads who never stopped battling today.

RTID

[normal rules]

I just hope that we get our signings done early in the month instead of the last few days as often happens.

Gm has two players training with the team already by all accounts

[colincramb]

Standard 3 goals conceded, probably 2 of them in the first half. Can’t see anything other than a 3-1 defeat, at best. That’s how bad we are.

[normal rules]

Can’t see anyone talking about another “Mansfield moment “
Stranger things have happened I guess.
We could hope for a bout of the shits running through the stags team?

[Thorney]

Standard 3 goals conceded, probably 2 of them in the first half. Can’t see anything other than a 3-1 defeat, at best. That’s how bad we are.

Loving the optimisim that we will score.

[Campsall rover]

What I would like to know is who the heck does everyone think we are going to sign in January.

Seriously we are only likely going to get a couple of loan players from higher up the pyramid.

No one is going to release players who are good are they.
Only ones will be the one clubs don’t want because they are not good enough.
When was the last time we made a really good signing in January.
Maybe I have forgotten one or 2 but if I have please tell me.

[pib]

It really shows how people are feeling at the minute that we're probably going to be taking less than 1000 to Mansfield, and there are still the best part of 250 tickets still on sale for Harrogate when it sold out in an hour last season.

Feels like we've reached a tipping point. The goodwill from the summer has dried up and people are sick of it.

Big job for McCann and everyone at the club to turn this around. We need to try to get behind the team as best we can at the games, because we're falling into a real relegation scrap if we're not careful. I can understand people's reasons for not going to this game though, it feels like a bit of a hiding to nothing.

[Nudga]

I've got my Mansfield tickets but at this moment in time I don't feel like going.

[normal rules]

What I would like to know is who the heck does everyone think we are going to sign in January.

Seriously we are only likely going to get a couple of loan players from higher up the pyramid.

No one is going to release players who are good are they.
Only ones will be the one clubs don’t want because they are not good enough.
When was the last time we made a really good signing in January.
Maybe I have forgotten one or 2 but if I have please tell me.

The only thing that will bring in the sort of players needed is dough. Lots of it. Or a huge dose of good fortune.
I cant bear the thought of any has beens who are without a club currently joining.
To find a few diamonds in the rough from lower leagues, now that would be something. Players who would see coming to rovers as a step up and a challenge. An opportunity to prove themselves at a higher level, and do just that. It’s not too much to ask is it?

[DonnyOsmond]

There is pretty much two ways it will go with recruitment, shopping for bargains nobody wants, same as when we picked up Agard, Griffiths and Clayton.

Alternatively, spend a bit of money like Gillingham did last season and hopefully start improving.

Likely to be the former, not the latter.

[ncRover]

What I would like to know is who the heck does everyone think we are going to sign in January.

Seriously we are only likely going to get a couple of loan players from higher up the pyramid.

No one is going to release players who are good are they.
Only ones will be the one clubs don’t want because they are not good enough.
When was the last time we made a really good signing in January.
Maybe I have forgotten one or 2 but if I have please tell me.

We have 5 loan spots and currently 4 loan players in Faal, Nixon, Roberts, Marsh.

Roberts will go back.

Marsh should go back. We need a player who can come in and hit the ground running to save us ASAP. He looked good but he wasn’t really what we needed. We need pace and runs in behind not a deep lying no.10.

That would then mean we can get 3 quality loanees in.

Broadbent (Grant said he’s ahead of schedule) and Faulkner can’t be far off returning.

Maybe TB will allow Grant a permanent signing in this emergency situation? You can get a cut price deal on players with 6 months left on their current deals. Maybe someone like experienced centre half Jack Baldwin who McCann made P’boro captain in 17/18?

The wage budget getting taken up by a lot of deadwood will limit what we can do though. Rowe, Biggins, Taylor and Lavery leaving in the summer will allow for better quality and more robust players to come in on permanent deals.

Maybe McCann’s recent comments point towards a change in the standard of the recruitment using statistics and looking at injury profiles.

Hopefully January also brings some frosty weather.

We should be offering Westbrooke a deal right now. The effect of his absence is catastrophic. And I’m afraid the writing is on the wall with this game again.

[adamtherover]

I've been to more away games this season than ever, and seen one solitary win at tranmere,  I think I've had enough  for the time being.  Hotels are booked in London for the sutton and crawley games, but aside from them, its gillette soccer satdi for me...

[Avsuptem]

The question for me is will we be able ro keep it below 15 goals scored against us in 4 games in December.
Shocking.

[i_ateallthepies]

What I would like to know is who the heck does everyone think we are going to sign in January.

Seriously we are only likely going to get a couple of loan players from higher up the pyramid.

No one is going to release players who are good are they.
Only ones will be the one clubs don’t want because they are not good enough.
When was the last time we made a really good signing in January.
Maybe I have forgotten one or 2 but if I have please tell me.

The only thing that will bring in the sort of players needed is dough. Lots of it. Or a huge dose of good fortune.
I cant bear the thought of any has beens who are without a club currently joining.
To find a few diamonds in the rough from lower leagues, now that would be something. Players who would see coming to rovers as a step up and a challenge. An opportunity to prove themselves at a higher level, and do just that. It’s not too much to ask is it?

Whilst normally it might be worth taking a chance on a rough diamond or two the club cannot afford to be taking chances with recruitment in this window, not if they are serious about retaining FL status.  There needs to be an epiphany moment in the recruitment team to help them identify the players with ALL of the attributes currently lacking in our squad and the financial backing to go out and get them.  This will need money spent on transfer and agent fees for this to happen.

[ravenrover]

Selby I think you are being too kind saying that Anderson and Olowu came off with injury, my opinion for what it is worth is that both were hooked at half time.
The only way I see us getting anything from the Mansfield game is for the weather forcast to be correct and the game called off, at least we get a game in hand we'll get nothing else otherwise. But it's my second "home game " of Christmas so sadly I'll drag myself along again

[selby]

 I myself think the came off injured might be to save face Raven but just going along with the official line as far as I know.
  At the end of the day the last few games has just confirmed my thinking for quite a while that in Faulkner and Flint we have better young defenders than the ones who have been holding down the positions this season.
  Flint I think would be an even better defensive midfielder in the Whiteman mould given his head, and would pair Wood with Faulkner as no nonsense central defenders and an experienced head to learn off, and Bailey alongside Flint just in front, and with the full backs we have here who have done ok even with a poor midfield in front of them we should be a lot more solid.
  That should give licence for two playmakers in mid field whether already here or new signings, and Ironside and Faal have done well up front anyway with little service in most games, Faal doing some of the most memorable play in mid field opening attacks up when tracking back, more than most except Westbrooke in the midfield in fact.
  Whether we have players coming in or not the EFL cup and staying out of trouble now gains more importance and we need to find players who care, have ambition, and fight, and a system and blend that suits the players we have.
  Grants biggest job will be moving on players not required but under contract, a number of who have been here quite a while and look too comfortable here, and I expect to struggle to attract interest from other clubs of any standing.
  A complicated situation for any club, lots of our own making with stupid contracts to some long standing players we have seen the best of some time ago, but there is hope with the youngsters mentioned if brought through properly training with the first team and good loans for Goodman, Adamson, and Brown who needs to train with the first team but play u18s and any in house games, Goodman and Adamson could flourish in men's football with careful nurturing and encouragement and playing at levels that stretch their capabilities.
 

[danumdon]

This is going to be a very difficult game for us to have to endure. With the bodies available to us its even worse.

Think we really need to bite the bullet and revert back to a flat back four. Sterry had done well since coming back and may possibly last the whole game, with Nixon on the left.

Center half will be interesting, If Anderson and Olowu and both "injured" (and i for one really do hope they are "injured" for at least the next 3 months) then it will have to be Bailey and Senior, we will need the "saviour" that is Flint to man up in midfield as this is our real issue, pair him up with a combination of Rowe, Moly, Close and with Faal in between linking up with Ironside whenever he can.

The emphasis for this team has to be playing the game forward and in their half of the field, if we sit and hold like we did against County then we will ship another boat load. Defence have to be quick and forward with their distribution and the midfield need to be looking to run forwards and get up front with  Ironside, it may not be our preferred style but we need to make do whilst we wait for reinforcements, we cannot allow pussyfooting about at the back with this brittle team. What we need to do more than anything else is work, put the effort in and not give up, even if the odds are against us, we need to see some grit and determination, if they can do that we ask for no more. The side Ive picked has a bias towards the players GM has brought in, its no coincidence that these seem to be the only ones who are prepared to be professional enough to earn their pay.

Remember, even a team going through the delights we are can get a lucky break, a penalty just like yesterday, a goal at any time should give the team something to hold onto, anything after that is a bonus.

                        Lawlor

         Sterry Bailey Senior Nixon

        Moly Close Faal Flint Rowe

                      ironside

[Sammy Chung was King]

We are in a right mess, but sometimes out of adversity comes positive. Those who might get chances could solve some of the problems.

[adamtherover]

I just hope that we get our signings done early in the month instead of the last few days as often happens.

Gm has two players training with the team already by all accounts

if they are training, surely that would suggest they are free agents, so could sign at any time?

[ravenrover]

Or loans

[Chris Black come back]

Surely we are not going down the free agent at Christmas route again are we? Surely.

[Butchers Red]

Central defence and midfield are both in a mess.

I kid you not I would play Cliff Byrne at centre back instead of either Anderson or Olowu after yesterday - and Grant would double the contribution of Harrison at the moment

[Chris Black come back]

We are in the shit but please no panic signings in January. If there is a prime target and we are paying big money for them, then fine. But otherwise Roberts and Marsh can return and two loanees come in to the squad, an attacking option and a midfielder with graft and talent (Galbraith or Matt Smith(s) type do exist).

There is a huge squad and some players coming back, so it is down to this group and Grant to get us clear of trouble and then we can sort the squad in the summer.

[Campsall rover]

 

What I would like to know is who the heck does everyone think we are going to sign in January.

Seriously we are only likely going to get a couple of loan players from higher up the pyramid.

No one is going to release players who are good are they.
Only ones will be the one clubs don’t want because they are not good enough.
When was the last time we made a really good signing in January.
Maybe I have forgotten one or 2 but if I have please tell me.

The only thing that will bring in the sort of players needed is dough. Lots of it. Or a huge dose of good fortune.
I cant bear the thought of any has beens who are without a club currently joining.
To find a few diamonds in the rough from lower leagues, now that would be something. Players who would see coming to rovers as a step up and a challenge. An opportunity to prove themselves at a higher level, and do just that. It’s not too much to ask is it?

Bailey, Sterry, Senior, Broadbent. All players who GM brought in from lower down the pyramid.

The problem is we need to clear out the ones who have presided over the shambles of the last 2 & half seasons.
Anderson has gone ( physically ) Rowe has gone ( physically ) those 2 are supposed to be our leaders.
Not seen them leading, not either by example or vocally.
Both got to go.
Close and Biggins halve shown when the going gets tough they haven’t got either the bottle or ability to be players that are going to stand up and make a mark.
Close would be a decent player in a winning team. In a struggling team he is a luxury.
So both have got to go.

Jones and Lawlor not good enough. End of. The goalkeeping position is crucial. We need much better.
Someone vocal someone who takes the pressure of the defence not one who heaps pressure on the defence.

Taylor, got to go. Ravenhill got to go, Long got to go.

Broadbent of the new players this season not good enough imo.

Clear out all the loans except Nixon and Faal.

In January we need 3 players. Centre back unless Wood and Faulkner are fit and stay fit.
Centre midfielder and he needs to be good, very good.  We need a real leader without Wood playing
Another striker as Miller will not be seen it seems this season.

If we don’t get those 3 players in during early January then we are in a serious battle to stay in this league.

We really could go down. Anyone thinking other wise is not in the real world.
We were on the edge of play offs on Jan 2nd 2016 and we got relegated.

[Chris Black come back]

Broadbent came from Sheffield United, currently in the Premier League.

[Campsall rover]

Broadbent came from Sheffield United, currently in the Premier League.

But he wasn’t in the 1st team.
He came to us to get regular league football.

[Lesonthewest]

Standard 3 goals conceded, probably 2 of them in the first half. Can’t see anything other than a 3-1 defeat, at best. That’s how bad we are.

I would actually take a 1-3 !! Last thing we need now is to go there & get battered. Confidence is already shot.