Bristol Rovers (A) Sat 15th April

[Ghost of Clough]

29 minutes ago, angieram said:

Maybe the best way to motivate your players to perform on a Saturday is not to give an interview on the Friday saying the following: 

 

"It is no hidden fact that I like 3-5-2. I like to have two players in every position. I need two wing-backs. And I'll obviously get Tom Barkhuizen and Nat Mendez-Laing fitter, so they can do it more.

"But they need help. We need centre-backs, we need centre forwards, we need a lot, really. That's the truth."

There are a number of players out on that pitch (and sitting as underused subs) who either already know they aren't part of Warne's 3-5-2 plans or don't want to be. It showed today.

As a fan at every away game this season, I'm hearing a lot more discontent in the stands than I'm reading on here. We do the hard miles every week, pay out a shed-load of money and are bemused by what we're trying to acheive at the moment. There's no pattern, no cohesion and little to give us heart. I think we're entitled to criticise when it's due.

We sang our socks off in that second half as we wanted to get those lads over the line for what would have been a very undeserved victory. They looked disappointed and a bit sheepish when they came over to us at the end. Some of them didn't come over at all. I didn't notice Warne at all but I left about ten minutes after the end.

We're rapidly losing that togetherness that saw us through the toughest of times last year. Makes me feel sad. 

I know a lot of us have said 3 at the back doesn't suit us, but I remembered today how much we used in in the U18 title winning season. Sibley was used as a CM and CF at times.

GK

RCB   Cashin   LCB

RWB   Knight   Bird/Tommo   Sibley  LWB

CF   CF

 

If only we still had Buchanan, Festy, Archie, Whittaker and Stretton from that team...

[DavesaRam]

1 hour ago, Crewton said:

If he starts running the club like a fan, we're definitely f****d!

Its what we all thought about Mel, but in actual fact Mel know nothing about football, and not much more about Derby County, bar that it was a football club near where he lived!

[sage]

47 minutes ago, angieram said:

Maybe the best way to motivate your players to perform on a Saturday is not to give an interview on the Friday saying the following: 

 

"It is no hidden fact that I like 3-5-2. I like to have two players in every position. I need two wing-backs. And I'll obviously get Tom Barkhuizen and Nat Mendez-Laing fitter, so they can do it more.

"But they need help. We need centre-backs, we need centre forwards, we need a lot, really. That's the truth."

There are a number of players out on that pitch (and sitting as underused subs) who either already know they aren't part of Warne's 3-5-2 plans or don't want to be. It showed today.

As a fan at every away game this season, I'm hearing a lot more discontent in the stands than I'm reading on here. We do the hard miles every week, pay out a shed-load of money and are bemused by what we're trying to acheive at the moment. There's no pattern, no cohesion and little to give us heart. I think we're entitled to criticise when it's due.

We sang our socks off in that second half as we wanted to get those lads over the line for what would have been a very undeserved victory. They looked disappointed and a bit sheepish when they came over to us at the end. Some of them didn't come over at all. I didn't notice Warne at all but I left about ten minutes after the end.

We're rapidly losing that togetherness that saw us through the toughest of times last year. Makes me feel sad. 

Sadly I agree. The warning signs were at Barnsley and Wycombe and I don't think the fans and players have been remotely convinced since.

[JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta]

7 hours ago, JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta said:

Right, today can we PLEASE not make a total bumhole of the game after going ahead?

Cheers.

Aaaaaarrrrghhhh.

[BramcoteRam84]

Frustrating today and another opportunity missed. We’re running out of games but we’re very much in it and weve gained on Peterborough today. We’ll know this time next week if we’re still in with a shout or the season is over. This week is pivotal. 

I’ve been vocal on the penalty but it was an awful decision the ref was in no way in a position to give, it’s another fundamental decision that’s cost us dear. No way will these bad calls even out this season now. We didn’t deserve to win today but would’ve held out if not for the decision, and winning today would’ve balanced the travesty that was the MK Dons game. By the way, Bolton held on for a 1-0 despite being absolutely battered by Oxford today and the Bolton keeper was also extremely lucky not to be sent off!! They are the fine margins and we’ve been the wrong side for a while now. You have games like today and it’s about getting over the line. 

But we were crap today make no mistake. He picked the same team as Monday, right call as it was an excellent performance against MK without the right result. But it didn’t work today with that midfield 3. No control at all whereas against MK they did control it and we played through midfield a lot. Then it’s the usual we only have like for like subs and limited options, we brought Bird and White on which was a good call to try and get some control, but were still penned in and often forced long and it turned to just trying to defend it out which after the subs, we looked like we were going to do before the ref took centre stage.

Interesting Warne said post match he thought as the first half progressed the midfield looked leggy and we were struggling to get control, with the match coming soon on Tuesday I’d expect changes. Smith Hourihane and Knight isn’t working for me, Smith in particular is not having a great time of it and knight as others have said seems to be regressing. Conor I just don’t think can get about like we need him to. I’d much prefer a midfield with Bird White and Knight. Think with his limited options he needs to freshen up the wide areas also. Maybe start Dobbin or Sibs on Tuesday.

Lots of chat on Warne’s tactics and his game changes and also the poor second half performance. On the latter - simply the result of having the smallest squad in the league with a mix of inexperience and over 30s, all subs are like for like and it’s difficult to change tactically. People need to remember where we were 9 months ago.

On the tactics, Warneball, there are those who have a fixed narrative about Warne they try to push the minute results aren’t going the right way. Personally, as someone who has been to the vast majority of home games this season, watched a fair few away games on Rams TV and even made it to a few away games this season, i don’t see it. Yes we’re more direct than under Liam (but then most teams are), but on our good run and when we’ve played well (at home in particular), we’ve mixed it up well and played through midfield, Bird being particularly good in the middle of the season. Whenever I’ve seen us play long we’ve been forced into it by the opposition rather than it being a deliberate tactic. I concede though I haven’t seen every away game and I think there is potentially a distinct difference in how we play away to how we play at home, away bring more likely to be under the cosh we’re pressed and forced into going long more often kicking it into the corners and the channels and trying to get up the pitch. I can therefore understand the discontent from those who have followed us everywhere this season.

But I think ultimately we’re struggling because our small squad is running out of steam with key players getting injured or losing form. We don’t have the depth to cope or options to change it up when things are going against us. Bird was flying when he got injured, he’s not been the same since coming back. Mendez and Barkhuizen have been excellent at times this season but both have lost form, Cash and Foz have been brilliant but also lost form. The one thing Warne could’ve done better recently Is trust the youth more (White Rooney Sibley) but can understand why he feels compelled to go with experience.

We’re still in this and I still think we can get to the playoffs, but to do it we have to win both home games - that’s a given, but we will also need to win at either Exeter on Tuesday or at Hillsborough on the last day, both of which feel unlikely right now.

Edited April 15, 2023 by BramcoteRam84

[kevinhectoring]

4 hours ago, Caerphilly Ram said:

This is the least “diplomatic” I’ve seen Warne I think. Readily admits the faults in our own performance and makes it clear what he thinks about their penalty.

Yeah. He needed to calm down before doing that interview. He’ll should be fined. But whingeing that ‘everyone is against us’ when we were rubbish is not impressive. But he’ll be aware that fans are roiling so he’s defending himself. Oh and being disrespectful of div 1 and other div 1 sides is not a good look - and surprising coming from him. 
 

I think he decided to try to sit on a 1-0 lead. He’s been criticised for that on here but it almost succeeded and I don’t have a problem with it at all.  What is a problem is that he seems to have no idea what he is realistically going to get out of his senior players - esp Hourihane and NML. This season was going to be all about getting the best out of the senior players through resting and rotation. He has plenty of other options - Bird, Sibley the most obvious - but instead we see the older guys run into the ground and we get overrun by more balanced squads. 
The problem isn’t our league position, it’s that he can’t see how to get out of the rut we’re in 

[norwichram]

Further to Angieram and a few other posts .. it’s very telling that the run/rot has continued for so long. 
 

man management is crucial .. but so is having a clearly defined strategy… leading onto tactics - this is how we’re going to achieve the goal that the strategy is based on .. 

Stevie Mac didn’t have a plan b either but he did have one hell of a plan A which was soooo good to watch 

today wasn’t about the ref…

we were so so bad - Bristol murdered us at will today - we made them look like play off contenders

 

[B4ev6is]

10 minutes ago, kevinhectoring said:

Yeah. He needed to calm down before doing that interview. He’ll should be fined. But whingeing that ‘everyone is against us’ when we were rubbish is not impressive. But he’ll be aware that fans are roiling so he’s defending himself. Oh and being disrespectful of div 1 and other div 1 sides is not a good look - and surprising coming from him. 
 

I think he decided to try to sit on a 1-0 lead. He’s been criticised for that on here but it almost succeeded and I don’t have a problem with it at all.  What is a problem is that he seems to have no idea what he is realistically going to get out of his senior players - esp Hourihane and NML. This season was going to be all about getting the best out of the senior players through resting and rotation. He has plenty of other options - Bird, Sibley the most obvious - but instead we see the older guys run into the ground and we get overrun by more balanced squads. 
The problem isn’t our league position, it’s that he can’t see how to get out of the rut we’re in 

Why should he be fined for what.

[Anag Ram]

If Warne is blaming the ref for this result he’s seriously deluded.

This was down to a lack of desire, energy and ambition on our part in the second half. No more, no less.

[kevinhectoring]

5 minutes ago, B4ev6is said:

Why should he be fined for what.

What he said about their pen 

[B4ev6is]

3 minutes ago, kevinhectoring said:

What he said about their pen 

Well not first time of late is it

Frankly I dont blame him I do the same if I was warn.

[kevinhectoring]

1 hour ago, angieram said:

Maybe the best way to motivate your players to perform on a Saturday is not to give an interview on the Friday saying the following: 

 

"It is no hidden fact that I like 3-5-2. I like to have two players in every position. I need two wing-backs. And I'll obviously get Tom Barkhuizen and Nat Mendez-Laing fitter, so they can do it more.

"But they need help. We need centre-backs, we need centre forwards, we need a lot, really. That's the truth."

Spot on

excuses 

Barkhuizen’s fitness is actually pretty good and he’s been underused imo. NML has been overused, and sometimes against teams who can contain him. His fitness needed more careful handling by his manager 

[Ambitious]

1 hour ago, Crewton said:

If he starts running the club like a fan, we're definitely f****d!

I can’t imagine he’s going to do anything rash, in terms of Warne and his team they’re going to be in place until next season even if we lose every single game between now and the end of the season. 

The team will look completely different next season, I’d imagine we’re looking at a huge turnover in players regardless of which division we’re in and anything other than the top two next season will be a disappointment. Simply put, the playoffs next season isn’t and shouldn’t be good enough. When he has his own team in place, he simply has no excuses for not being successful - especially if the likes of Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday do get promoted. 

[Jourdan]

After today, I think we may just have to lick our wounds and accept this year is not our year.

When we went on that fantastic unbeaten run, we did really well but also everything seemed to go our way and when things didn’t, we had the belief to shake it off and come back swinging.

Now we’re experiencing the opposite. We are on an awful run, nothing seems to be going our way and when things do, we still find a way to unravel.

It’s looking like one season too soon for us and there’s no shame in that. We didn’t start the season as a favourite for promotion, after all. Even at our very best in December to late January, there were still three sides comfortably better than us.

We have fallen victim to fine margins too many times in the last few months to feel like there’s going to be a happy, opportunistic twist of fate. 

Ipswich, Plymouth and Wednesday deserve promotion, but each of them had to suffer and lick their wounds before feeling the benefits they’re reaping now. In the same way that they did, we just have to clear our heads, take stock, learn lessons and come back next season stronger and wiser and more of a complete package.

I am of the mindset that we give Warne a full season and see what he can deliver with a full pre-season, a summer window with the ability to assess and reshape the squad and his own people orchestrating things behind the scenes and putting his stamp on things.

Don’t give up on Warne yet. His work is only really about to get started.

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

14 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

After today, I think we may just have to lick our wounds and accept this year is not our year.

When we went on that fantastic unbeaten run, we did really well but also everything seemed to go our way and when things didn’t, we had the belief to shake it off and come back swinging.

Now we’re experiencing the opposite. We are on an awful run, nothing seems to be going our way and when things do, we still find a way to unravel.

It’s looking like one season too soon for us and there’s no shame in that. We didn’t start the season as a favourite for promotion, after all. Even at our very best in December to late January, there were still three sides comfortably better than us.

We have fallen victim to fine margins too many times in the last few months to feel like there’s going to be a happy, opportunistic twist of fate. 

Ipswich, Plymouth and Wednesday deserve promotion, but each of them had to suffer and lick their wounds before feeling the benefits they’re reaping now. In the same way that they did, we just have to clear our heads, take stock, learn lessons and come back next season stronger and wiser and more of a complete package.

I am of the mindset that we give Warne a full season and see what he can deliver with a full pre-season, a summer window with the ability to assess and reshape the squad and his own people orchestrating things behind the scenes and putting his stamp on things.

Don’t give up on Warne yet. His work is only really about to get started.

They both benefitted from 2 points a piece from us they shouldn't have had due to diabolical decisions.  

[Millenniumram]

18 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

After today, I think we may just have to lick our wounds and accept this year is not our year.

When we went on that fantastic unbeaten run, we did really well but also everything seemed to go our way and when things didn’t, we had the belief to shake it off and come back swinging.

Now we’re experiencing the opposite. We are on an awful run, nothing seems to be going our way and when things do, we still find a way to unravel.

It’s looking like one season too soon for us and there’s no shame in that. We didn’t start the season as a favourite for promotion, after all. Even at our very best in December to late January, there were still three sides comfortably better than us.

We have fallen victim to fine margins too many times in the last few months to feel like there’s going to be a happy, opportunistic twist of fate. 

Ipswich, Plymouth and Wednesday deserve promotion, but each of them had to suffer and lick their wounds before feeling the benefits they’re reaping now. In the same way that they did, we just have to clear our heads, take stock, learn lessons and come back next season stronger and wiser and more of a complete package.

I am of the mindset that we give Warne a full season and see what he can deliver with a full pre-season, a summer window with the ability to assess and reshape the squad and his own people orchestrating things behind the scenes and putting his stamp on things.

Don’t give up on Warne yet. His work is only really about to get started.

This is an important point.
 

Still time to sack him before he does too much damage

[Ghost of Clough]

49 minutes ago, norwichram said:

Further to Angieram and a few other posts .. it’s very telling that the run/rot has continued for so long. 
 

man management is crucial .. but so is having a clearly defined strategy… leading onto tactics - this is how we’re going to achieve the goal that the strategy is based on .. 

Stevie Mac didn’t have a plan b either but he did have one hell of a plan A which was soooo good to watch 

today wasn’t about the ref…

we were so so bad - Bristol murdered us at will today - we made them look like play off contenders

 

Mac had 424. A CM would come off and Sammon would be our saviour.

[kevinhectoring]

23 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

Simply put, the playoffs next season isn’t and shouldn’t be good enough. When he has his own team in place, he simply has no excuses for not being successful - especially if the likes of Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday do get promoted. 

So let’s say Ipswich, Wendies and Plymouth go up. Still there’s Portsmouth, Barnsley,  Bolton, Peterboro, Wycombe, 3 clubs coming down. Plus the chance that an unlikely club  or two will find that magic combination of players  and manager and blow the lights out. So I don’t buy what you say at all I’m afraid. Imo we’ve got as much chance of going up this season as getting automatic promotion next season under Warne 

[Jourdan]

21 minutes ago, Millenniumram said:

This is an important point.
 

Still time to sack him before he does too much damage

What do you expect to happen if we sack Warne?

[Millenniumram]

3 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

What do you expect to happen if we sack Warne?

We bring in a manager with an actual tactical plan beyond trying to outrun the opposition, who can build a squad over the summer.

Edited April 15, 2023 by Millenniumram