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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 31, 2015 8:06:20 GMT
So the Orient game was the first one I have managed to get to all season. This is due to a bizarre combination of bad luck which has resulted in my failure to make it to 4 matches that I'd originally intended to get to - never been so long into the season before attending my first game. First thing to say is how great the atmosphere was in and around the ground - as good as I've seen it in years. I went in the clubhouse because I couldn't get tickets for West Enclosure - I've never known that happen before on anything other than an all-ticket game. Years since I've been in the Clubhouse and it was great to be there on a day when we numbered nearly 10K and the place was buzzing like that.
I thought it was a terrific game of League 2 football as well. There was a real tempo to the game and I felt that Orient played pretty much as well as we did and probably were the better side in certain aspects of the game. But the key difference was the quality of our play in the final 3rd of the pitch. I felt they had more possession in the middle of the park but didn't really turn that into that many clear cut chances. We were never comfortable though and it was because they played well not because of any deficiencies in the way we played. I won't give a match report because most people were there and others have provided this but I would give a couple of observations from not having seen us play all year;
1. OK, it was only 1 game but I can't understand why Mildenhall has been side-lined all season. That was a very, very assured performance. He was confident and calm. He claimed the ball really well and he made a match turning save at the start of the 2nd half.
2. Gaffney looked like the player this team has been missing. Again, it could well have been the game of his life but the role he played in holding the ball up, bringing others into play and generally being a strong presence up front is exactly what has been needed. Plus the finishing was superb and he looked like he'd run through a brick wall for you. I sense he was having one of those days where everything goes right but nonetheless he seems like the final piece in the forward puzzle for me.
3. I was very impressed with Montano. The workrate was excellent - he got up and down the wing very well and generally ran his socks off. The final ball wasn't always there but I liked the fact that he was constantly available and hugged the touchline. It's interesting to me that Clarke seems to like to play 4-4-2 with 2 genuine attacking wingers - standard practice these days is to have 1 attacking winger and 1 all purpose midfielder to tuck inside and cover defensively.
4. Thought Lockyer - Parkes was a good centre back pairing. Lockyer seemed a bit heftier in the upper body than I remember - he looked more like a potential centre-half to me than he has in the past.
5. Leadbetter looked excellent from start to finish at both ends of the pitch.
6. I loved Taylor's control and snapshot on target when he came on. Thought that was almost as high quality as Gaffney's finish earlier and indicative of a player who is brimming with confidence.
7. Only downside is that I thought Easter was dreadful - miscontrolled all the time, made poor decisions, didn't link with anyone etc.
Overall I have to say I'm pretty excited - I thought we were pretty good and we deservedly a beat a handy looking side. I'm sure there'll be hick-ups along the way. But I give huge credit to Darrell Clarke because we look like a very decent League 2 outfit that can give anyone a game and thoroughly deserving of our place in the table. Most fun I've had at a Rovers game in a long time. I`d agree with most of that, apart from a couple of things. I didn`t think Montano played well; I thought he was our weak link. Was glad to see him taken off. I did think Easter had one of his better games, although that isn`t saying a lot. Leadbitter had a decent game, and gave their midfield plenty to think about, but I don`t think he put one quality ball into their box all night. Everything seemed to be overhit. All about opinions, I guess.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 31, 2015 7:57:00 GMT
The high was watching Mansell`s penalty ending up in the net. Agree with you on the low. Dover, definitely.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 29, 2015 11:56:16 GMT
So was the first. Terrific composure. I work with a Cambridge fan; he was surprised that Gaffney was loaned out to anyone.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 26, 2015 7:48:11 GMT
I went to their first game back in the League. The 3-2 one mentioned above. Went to Plough Lane a few times. First the was in the FA Cup in 1968. Wimbledon were then an amateur side and Rovers won 4-0. I think Alfie Biggs scored at least one, possibly 2. Also went a couple of times in the early 80's. I have a feeling Ian Holloway made his first start, possibly playing right back, he wasn't very good, and we lost. The other game we drew 1-1, and Rovers goal was scored by Micky Barrett. There was a Youngs pub around the corner so my memories are a bit vague. The 1-1 draw in about 1983 when Micky scored was my only visit to Plough Lane . I think we drank in the clubs bar but can't be certain. Only thing I remember is how poor and quiet their Fans were, so never had any real sympathy for them. Not been to the new ground but that should change on Saturday. I was at that game. It belted down with rain, and they equalised near the end with a ( twice taken ) free kick.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 19, 2015 7:51:37 GMT
Is there any need to be so aggressive and confrontational? Get back to watching Strictly Come Dancing, with your boyfriend. Ooo we got ourselves a tough homophobe. It wasn`t supposed to be serious, Chewbacca. I was asking why he was being aggressive and confrontational, and then being aggressive and confrontational myself. I shouldn`t have bothered; I realise that.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 18, 2015 11:23:47 GMT
I'll be honest it made me chuckle! And me. May the Gas be with you!
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 18, 2015 11:13:22 GMT
Of the more recent threads this forum has turned into a pile of w*** in much the same way the old club forum was . #playgroundbanter Is there any need to be so aggressive and confrontational? Get back to watching Strictly Come Dancing, with your boyfriend.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 15, 2015 11:28:29 GMT
Where we stand on the Dri Build terrace, we were pretty much level with where Gaffney stationed himself, out on the right wing for a lot of the first half. Most people around me thought that it was to stop their left back from getting forward, and most of them agreed that it was a ridiculously negative thing to do, given that we were the home team. Would it not have been better to have taken off the totally ineffectual Hall, midway through the first half, and replaced him with Leadbitter to have given their left back problems of his own, rather than sticking our centre forward out on the wing? if anyone thinks gaffney was marking the left back then i respect that opinion but i just think hes the type of player who needs to make runs wide to pull defenders out of position and get himself into the game so i just dont believe he was marking the full back. ref leadbitter,i think he should always play if hes fit. You may well be right, but Gaffney wasn`t making runs down the right; he seemed to be taking up a position just in front of their left back. Of course you want movement from your centre forwards, but not stuck out on the wings. I don`t think that`s playing to Gaffney`s strengths at all. Most people on here agreed that we needed a big strong target man, well now we`ve got one. Does it make sense to stick him out on the wing for 45 minutes? Clarke has assembled a decent little squad of players, with a good work ethic and a guy up front who can score goals. But a tactical genius, Clarke aint. My one abiding memory of the Mansfield game, is of Matty Harrold at right back, trying unsuccessfully to prevent their left winger from crossing the ball for the goal that ultimately cost us our place in the Football League. The tactics that day were a shambles, as was the away game at Dover, nearly a year later. Automatic promotion was thrown away, by Clarke`s lunatic tactics, 4 3 3, with Blissett and Taylor on the wings and Harrison in the middle. Football is a simple game; round pegs in round holes. Play our players in the positions that they are most suited to, and we have a very decent chance of the play offs. Complicate things like we did against York, and in my opinion those chances are greatly reduced.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 15, 2015 8:08:00 GMT
How would you interpret the passage of play, Mr BS? Maybe it was all a coincidence ! i did notice gafney going wide lots but it never occurred to me he was marking the left back,,if he was its a very strange tactic Where we stand on the Dri Build terrace, we were pretty much level with where Gaffney stationed himself, out on the right wing for a lot of the first half. Most people around me thought that it was to stop their left back from getting forward, and most of them agreed that it was a ridiculously negative thing to do, given that we were the home team. Would it not have been better to have taken off the totally ineffectual Hall, midway through the first half, and replaced him with Leadbitter to have given their left back problems of his own, rather than sticking our centre forward out on the wing?
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 14, 2015 22:37:12 GMT
That's a brilliant observation, Alveston! I thought their left back was effective and we couldn't get behind him. He was ably supported. Gaff did provide a nullifying effect (as you rightly observe) but not until well into the match. Credit to their defence, as it would have been an onslaught if not for him and Boyle.. so were 1-0 down at home to the bottom of the league and our striker is instructed to mark there left-back! really?? It was ridiculous, Mr Bluesky. An absolute waste of the first 45 minutes.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 13, 2015 15:59:07 GMT
I thought that Dillian Whyte was lucky not to have been disqualified at the end of the first round. A good fight though, and a great atmosphere too. I agree; the radio played that down and made it sound like six of one and half a dozen of the other, but having seen it I'm surprised Whyte wasn't disqualified. I'm glad he wasn't though, Joshua will benefit longer term from what happened next. Perhaps he thought it was the bell for the start of the second.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 13, 2015 11:34:23 GMT
I listened to the Joshua fight in the car, sounded like a great fight. Good for him to go through a few rounds and still end it with a KO! I found a site streaming it free. Had to watch on computer screen, but saved £16. Great fight; both boxers caught each other with some terrific punches. Joshua looks like he has a pretty durable chin, to go with his undoubted talent. And fair play to White; a very creditable performance from him too. A setback for him, but a decent career in the sport beckons. Joshua v Fury. I would pay money to watch that.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 13, 2015 7:55:53 GMT
What was Gaffney doing, stuck out on the right wing for most of the first half? He didn`t have a clue out there, and we didn`t give ourselves a chance in the first 45 minutes. It was a return to the bad old days, watching Elliot Richards playing out on the wing; a return to the tactics that saw us relegated from the Football League.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 12, 2015 17:20:38 GMT
York got everything they deserved. They were guilty of cynical time wasting from the very start of the second half. An injury time winner was justice done.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 8, 2015 11:20:16 GMT
he wasn't ..........Rovers did'nt.... move on ................the is STILL at the bottom of the ocean, you can't change history Chose your cliché: Churchill's (and others') "Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it" or, "We learn from history that we learn nothing from history" from Shaw. Is that Gary Shaw, who used to play for Aston Villa? He never said anything as profound as that, when I heard him speak. Usually it was along the lines of, " Well, the ball`s come in from the left, and I`ve taken a touch, and basically just put it in the net." That sort of thing.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 7, 2015 11:20:51 GMT
Why is it that even when we have a successful team people feel the need to focus on someone they think is crap or not as good as others? I`d guess, because that`s the way humans are hard wired. We love to criticise.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 7, 2015 7:56:21 GMT
thought you were looking at Jeremy Corbyn for a moment!! Well he has got momentum on his side. We could get Neil Lenin to be our manager.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 5, 2015 12:39:22 GMT
That is a good example in using Jo Kuffour. That was another player who could look spectacular, in very short spells and he scored a few of the best goals I have seen, at the mem. Nice one, I totally agree with your summation. I still can't help but see him as a lazy player as he very rarely tracks back. I do see where you are coming from with his runs but maybe this level of football doesn't suit that style, lord knows in anycase. I would really like to think he will want to go out of the game on a high and I do notice that he is very verbal when he is paired with Harrison. He seems to get pretty frustrated with Harrison but that is all subjective and just my opinion. Right now, I woukd genuinely like to see Jamie Lucas get a run in the team but it seems that DC is either unwilling to do this or is holding him back, to use if we have injuries ? Maybe we will see a repeat of last season, where DC was able to go out and get Linesy ? I would imagine that will only happen if we are in a position where we are in a position to push on. There is still a lot of football to be played and I would imagine we will use many of the players that have not yet featured in many games. Hi KP. Are you referring to Matty Taylor when you say 'lazy'? If you are I have to strongly disagree mate. I don't think he has ever been lazy. He works the front line really hard, pulling defenders all over the place, running the channels, great ability in the air. The third goal against WW showed how strong he is too. The technique he used to control a high ball between two big defenders, hold them off and then performing a really tight turn and finish was truly brilliant. His goal away to Forest Green in the play offs, was even better.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 5, 2015 8:02:36 GMT
Sounds like his agent is boosting his value ahead of contract negotiations... All we need to do is invite his agent in for talks and set up a huge screen behind the desk showing re-runs of people in the crowd getting hit by wayward shots last season. He`ll be gone soon enough, Bamber. Then you can enjoy watching Jermaine Easter trying to do the things that Taylor does now.
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Post by Bernard Briggs on Dec 5, 2015 8:00:01 GMT
It's nothing to do with one hat trick, it's 18 months of quality, top scorer last season, top scorer this season in his first ever at football league level. The only thing the hat-trick has done is wake up those that continued to doubt him, I was going to make exactly the same point myself.
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