Matt Taylor

Think I agree with almost all of this. Would get shot of Brown though as for me he has had only one or two decent games for us. Taylor will get the best out of Macca I think. We need a boss in the middle of the park. That could be Rossiter - if (and it is a big if) his knee is not totally shot and he can stay injury free. Pay per game only for the likes of him, Sincs, Ward etc when their contracts run out

Not quite an apology, but in his comments after the game, Taylor acknowledged that he could see what the supporters can see and ask questions about.
- Asked if he thought some of his players had mentally checked out, Taylor confessed: "I'll be asking that question. I can see what they [supporters] can see.
He also recognised that the fans had travelled a long way...
- Our supporters have come a long way and spent a lot of money in relation to today.

I am sure he feels the supporters pain, but yes an apology would have been nice!

If he isn't going to force the hand of the playing squad to apologise, then he should himself.

Not even the captain said sorry (in post match interview).

I (amongst others) posted some weeks ago beach football wasn't going to be pretty, nor will the churning over of staff, but humiliation takes it up a further notch.

It's also a dereliction of duty to other teams having something to play for.
If Lincoln gets into play offs, especially with goal difference making an impact, some of those players will need to apologise for their performance to other clubs too.

Rossiter might need to look for a second job to tide him over....

Echoes of Brian Gayle and Jamie Shore. They are only playing for us because of injuries (Shore would have been a PL player), but they aren't playing for us because of injuries...

Matt Taylor highlights 'progression' for Bristol Rovers after goalless draw against Shrewsbury..By Daniel Hargraves

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Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor watches on from the touchline

Matt Taylor has labelled his Bristol Rovers side's performance in a goalless draw at home to Shrewsbury Town as "progression" following a recent tough run

The Gas went into the Easter Monday clash at the Mem off the back of 5-0 and 2-0 losses away at Lincoln City and Port Vale respectively as well as drawing 0-0 at Fleetwood Town and losing 3-0 at home to Derby County prior with their last goal scored coming in the 30th minute of their 1-0 victory at Leyton Orient on March 2. That goal drought was extended by another 90 minutes with a total of another seven of added time but the clean sheet was certainly welcome after conceding 10 goals in their previous four outings.

Rovers enjoyed the better of the chances and on another day would've converted enough to secure the three points but Taylor was pleased with the response of his side after a particularly poor showing three days before at relegation-battling Port Vale.

Asked if it was a cleaner defensive display, the Gas manager responded post-match: "I think so. I thought the way they went about their work. They got there first more often than not. There’s a physical aspect to their front line. There’s strength in that opposition team and we say that’s still quite a young group, ‘keeper included, so I really liked the way Jed was positive. A lot of high balls that he wanted to catch as opposed to punch which just took a little bit of pressure off. Those moments were so important, even when Willo was off the pitch we defended a set-piece properly. They’ve got some big boys in their team.

"That’s progression for me. The headline will always be that we’ve not scored in five games and how do we start creating more but a clean sheet and the chances we created, the goal was the only thing missing really.

"Just lacked a goal," the 42-year-old added. "Certainly in terms of some of the chances we created. We know that we weren’t at our fluent best over the course of the 90-plus minutes of the game but we still created some chances that would have made us feel better about ourselves. A little bit of confidence. Force the opposition to change.

"Generally, pleased with the intent. Obviously, I’m wanting more in terms of executing certain moments in the game but from where we’ve been in the last couple, it’s much improved.

"A step in the right direction. Like I say, there are so many things that we can do a lot better but in terms of what we created today and also limited the opposition team to one shot on goal of any note which I think Jed [Ward] saved towards the end which is an important save but they’ve always got a threat about them. We just needed to make more of those attacking opportunities."

Top scorer Chris Martin would have left the Mem feeling as though he should have added at least one goal to his tally of 15 so far this season with two excellent openings, particularly the first early in the game as he fired narrowly wide after good work from Brandon Aguilera to win the ball high up the pitch and release the striker.

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Chris Martin had two great first half chances to score for Bristol Rovers against Shrewsbury Town

Additionally, Rovers' substitutes made an impact in the second half as Luke Thomas cutback for Grant Ward who scuffed his effort before Jevani Brown struck the post and Thomas scraped the side-netting.

However, the final opportunity of the match fell to Shrewsbury who forced Jed Ward into his only save of the afternoon via a low effort from Ryan Bowman.

The concern though is that the Gas have now played 510 minutes plus additional time of football without scoring when that end of the pitch previously hadn't been much of a issue. Over five-and-a-half games have been played since their last goal but, as pointed out, they were able to create opportunities having mustered just two off target shots at Port Vale on Friday.

Asked if there was any anxiety in front of goal, Taylor exclaimed: "I don’t think so because the first two one v one’s, I don’t think Chrissy will be anxious about goals because he’s scored so many of them and he’s not one to be affected.

"Wardy, that chance probably came too soon for him in terms of his return from injury. Those were the three best chances of the game. Jevani hits the post and then you’re looking at different moments of forcing their centre-halves and goalkeeper to really work and that didn’t quite materialise.

"But in terms of the structure and the endeavour of the team, the intent of it, I’m more pleased sat here than I have been previously and that’s a good starting point at any stage of the season let alone now and then we’ve got to add the layers of quality on top of that."

'Another lesson learned' - Matt Taylor offers verdict on Bristol Rovers' 'harsh' Bolton defeat..by Daniel Hargraves.

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Matt Taylor has admitted that Bristol Rovers' 2-0 defeat at home to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon was "harsh" but that it proves to be another lesson for his side as their stuttering end of season form continued.

Rovers were excellent in the final stages of the first half and early periods of the second with the likes of Chris Martin, Luke Thomas and Antony Evans boasting good opportunities to break the deadlock. However, those missed chances were rued when a heavy pass from Jed Ward was mis-controlled by Brandon Aguilera in the middle of the pitch to allow Bolton to pounce and release former Gas forward Aaron Collins to score on his Mem return.

The Welshman, who joined the Whites in January, held up his arms with celebrations muted but it proved to be the decisive moment with Rovers struggling to recapture the wind that was firmly in their sails prior to conceding.
However, the hosts did push for an equaliser in the dying embers of the match only to be caught on the break by Cameron Jerome who was taken down by Connor Taylor for a blatant penalty to be awarded, which was converted by substitute Aaron Morley.

Asked for his verdict on the contest, Taylor exclaimed: "Harsh but yet another lesson learned in terms of the moment of the goal is just too poor from ourselves in terms of understanding what’s needed at that point. Young players involved and we know that they’ll make mistakes but we’re certainly learning the hard way at the moment.

"It’s just not going for us at the moment in the final moment but for a couple of saves, a couple of ricochets, a couple of nearly moments, we probably have to force the issue a little bit more in relation to that but when our goalkeeper hasn’t been worked all game, to concede a goal like that is just bitterly frustrating.

"Like I say, there’s the lesson of the players on the pitch but also in terms of what the league is and then they just man their way to the victory."

Not only does the defeat mean that Rovers have failed to win in six matches with two draws picked up in that period but also the damning fact that a new club record was set for longest period without a goal at 600 minutes of regular football with added time not entered into the equation.

It's not like the Gas haven't had chances in most of their recent games though. In fact only the defeat at Port Vale was a contest where Taylor's men showed next to nothing in the final third.

As they did in their goalless draw with Shrewsbury Town on Monday, Rovers missed a number of good opportunities. However, this time they were left to rue their squandered chances.

"I’ve got to be careful," Taylor admitted when asked what he says to his players now, "because, it’s not expected but that is what happens when the inexperienced factor is there. Jed has come in and done fantastically well but just the understanding of what has made him do so well and the simplicity factor of that. Brandon, a ball you don’t want to receive in the middle of the pitch. You just want to keep it going away from your goal.

"So no real critique of them as individuals but just the expectation of the understanding of that moment as a young player and it’s not just the young ones, senior ones have done it as well. Too many times have we said we’re defensively sound as a team and then we go behind in the game and are chasing the game.

"It’s recognition, awareness, understanding. I don’t think anyone would have batted an eyelid if that had gone back to their backline or Brandon had helped it on. We tried and just styled out a little bit in a difficult moment in relation to that but that takes away all the hard work and intent and good play we had up until that point, in fairness, against such a strong, passing team. They worked our backline and the space in behind second half and worked it quite well but I think that was credit to the way we hurried them first half and put them under real pressure.

"But as the goal came, it puts real pressure on your in-possession and your quality in the final third and we didn’t quite have that quality of the final action."

'Speaking about opinions, whether the season as a whole will be reflected on as a disappointment or progress, factually three more points will beat last season’s points tally so is that something you want to nip in the bud as soon as possible to point out that there has been progress regardless of what’s happened this season?'

What a daft question. The point is to finish in a higher position than last season, not to get slightly more points than we did in a very disappointing season. 

And MT also fails to acknowledge that after the LO game, it was a realistic proposition for us to finish in the top 10 and have some momentum for next season. This was an expectation that was well-grounded around six games ago, not at the start of the season. 

And the point is not progression but the regression we are seeing across the board. 'Transition' suggests we are going somewhere, and the only place we are going ATM is League 2. 

The sad thing is that we looked on course for a top 11 finish after the LO game. Since then the wheels have come off, big style. We have to hope this was simply a slump rather than an indicator of what comes next season. 

The good news is that we, and presumably MT, know what the problems are. We have been over-reliant on Martin and need a new striker that will relieve us from Marquis's tragicomic cameos from the subs bench. 

We need an experienced goalkeeper, and we need an experienced CB. 

Connelly/Taylor could be our long-term CB pairing. 

If Grant gets fit over the summer, our LB issue could be resolved, and I think Hunt could be good for another season (Hoole and Gordon as cover for both positions). 

The midfield isn't a major worry and is in fact our strength. Thomas on the right, Evans in the AM role and then Conteh and Rossiter/McCormick in the DM role. LM could be Sinclair or another promising loan player. 

No, we are safe. Burton would need to win every single game to catch us (be good to see them go down, as our record against them is appalling) and Cheltenham aren't making up a 14-point (with GD) gap in six games. 

Up to now I tried to stay positive, and feel new managers should be given enough time. However recent performances have been all over the place and unfortunately i am starting to question MT team selection and tactics. 

Once again a promising team performance against Bolton is not build on, why on earth do we start a home match without any of our recognised.strikers Its no wonder the players look out of sorts. 

I left after 90 minutes because some abuse will no doubt be addressed to the players which doesn’t sit well with me. I do worry now that MT may tonight lost the fans irretrievably………