Mackday Meldrew - Doncaster Rovers


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Agree with us looking like strangers with no plan, and also that Doncaster looked threatening on the few occasions they did break.

However, they were still fortunate to come away with three points.
We were fortunate to only be 2 down at half time.

Barring a 15 minute spell we didnt do anywhere near enough to get anything from that game
 
I sometimes wonder what game people are watching.

It was clearly a back 4. It only looked back 3 at times when Cirkin was charging forward down the left because the midfield was all over the place.

I think Neil and Evans were supposed to be in front of the back 4 with Embleton Pritchard Gooch in front of them and Stewart up front on his own.

But there was no shape at all. When the ball came forward Stewart was often out wide to collect it so there was nobody in the box.
 
I nearly always agree. But this time I think you missed the main point.

They are bottom of the table. They got hammered by Rotherham. I watched that game and they were clueless.

Yet we came out and were half arsed and half paced, basically begging them to take the initiative.

Your three points are about “shape” or tactics if you like. We lost cos of attitude, right from the kickoff.

Our attitude was good at the beginning, we just failed to take a few half chances.

I knew this would happen. Whenever we lose and are generally poor, I get stick for not sticking the knife in.

If Stewart's goal is given and the shot which hit the post or any of Stewart's headers goes in, it's a completely different forum tonight.
 
Doyle Batth and Winchester. Could see how flummoxed Winchester was trying to find the right position in the aftermath of their first.
I don't think that's right. I think cirkin and Winchester were playing full back. Could be wrong. However, the fact we're even having this discussion speaks volumes.

I always think with well organised teams the formation is clear as day and today it clearly wasn't. And youre a far better man than me if you were able to work out the formation for the last 15 minutes. Looked like a 5-0-5 mess at tines.
 
I sometimes wonder what game people are watching.

It was clearly a back 4. It only looked back 3 at times when Cirkin was charging forward down the left because the midfield was all over the place.

I think Neil and Evans were supposed to be in front of the back 4 with Embleton Pritchard Gooch in front of them and Stewart up front on his own.

But there was no shape at all. When the ball came forward Stewart was often out wide to collect it so there was nobody in the box.
I have no idea mate, I obviously don’t understand football reading some of the things on here. Some right tactical experts around here. Even that Dodds guy says “the back 4 didn’t work first half like it should” in his interview on the radio.
 
That was a back 3? If it was then it was the most bodged back 3 I have ever seen and lop sided to boot. I couldn't work it out at all, all I could see is that Cirkin was literally the only player playing on the left side for us for a full half. Horrendous from the coaching staff.

I don't think anyone deserved higher than 5 from the first team, as I have said on another thread Clarke was probably my man of the match for his cameo... Looks decent.

I agree it was bodged and lopsided, and have said as much.
So you didn't knotice how our back line looked like rabbits in headlights every time the broke forward?

How have you come to that conclusion from my comments?

Your hyperbole in here is bizarre.
 
Our attitude was good at the beginning, we just failed to take a few half chances.

I knew this would happen. Whenever we lose and are generally poor, I get stick for not sticking the knife in.

If Stewart's goal is given and the shot which hit the post or any of Stewart's headers goes in, it's a completely different forum tonight.
And if my auntie had a knob she'd be my uncle.

Your threads spark debate which is good, but the last few weeks you have played the crowd in my opinion and tonight you have struggled to balance it
 
And if my auntie had a knob she'd be my uncle.

Your threads spark debate which is good, but the last few weeks you have played the crowd in my opinion and tonight you have struggled to balance it

I have no idea what this means.

It's exactly the same every time. When we're playing well, everyone is sweetness and light and everything is spot on. When we're losing, people only agree if I stick the knife in, and I'll only do that at times I think it's warranted.

If anything that's surely the opposite of 'playing to the crowd'.
 
Our attitude was good at the beginning, we just failed to take a few half chances.

I knew this would happen. Whenever we lose and are generally poor, I get stick for not sticking the knife in.

If Stewart's goal is given and the shot which hit the post or any of Stewart's headers goes in, it's a completely different forum tonight.

On the flipside to this of course is if they score instead of hitting the post and Hoffman doesn't make a double save then they put 4 passed us.
 
I usually really like and agree with your ratings and maybe I just haven’t calmed down enough to look at things dispassionately but I think you’ve been extremely generous with your marks.

Hoffmann - 4 confidence shot to bits, for me he should be saving the first Doncaster goal. Doesn’t seem to inspire confidence in his defenders, distribution gone to pieces.

Batth - 5- won his fair share of aerial duals but had no understanding with Doyle

Doyle -4 - needs taking out of the side asap. He concedes the ball far too often in dangerous positions, gets beaten in the air by virtually every opponent.

Winchester -4 - played out of position again and he looked like a fish out of water.

Cirkin - 5 - poor today. Decent enough defensively but the offensive aspect of his play needs improving. In mitigation for him we rarely get more than one player in the box so unless his crossing is pinpoint accurate, the chance of picking out a red and white shirt is very slim.

Neil -4 - like Doyle needs a break asap. The player we all lavished praise on in the early months of the season has completely disappeared.

Evans -4 - captain by title but no evidence of leadership whatsoever. Tidy in possession but has virtually zero impact on the game.

Embleton -4 - completely anonymous today, didn’t seem to understand his role and just seemed to wander about like a lost soul.

Pritchard -7 - at the moment he looks like the only quality player we’ve got. Busy and always tries to be positive.

Gooch -4 - he doesn’t hide but the constant chopping and changing of his position in the side seems to have ruined him. He’s always been inconsistent but never as consistently poor.

Stewart -5 - poor service, although he should have scored with a free header in the first half. Easily marshalled by the Doncaster centre backs.

Proctor & Dodds - Zero - Please, please, please never let them ‘organise’ the side ever again.
 
I have no idea what this means.

It's exactly the same every time. When we're playing well, everyone is sweetness and light and everything is spot on. When we're losing, people only agree if I stick the knife in, and I'll only do that at times I think it's warranted.

If anything that's surely the opposite of 'playing to the crowd'.

What do you mean 'our defenders was organised'? I've only really criticised our defence.
I must read your posts different to you.

You offer your opinion, people agree or disagree. How anyone can't say Baath, Doyle and Evans played vaugley well today is beyond me.

But football is all about opinions, after all you slated Flanagan to hell 3 weeks ago, then when he was dropped and we got raped 6 nil said he shouldn't have been dropped......
 
I must read your posts different to you.

You offer your opinion, people agree or disagree. How anyone can't say Baath, Doyle and Evans played vaugley well today is beyond me.

But football is all about opinions, after all you slated Flanagan to hell 3 weeks ago, then when he was dropped and we got raped 6 nil said he shouldn't have been dropped......

I always put my thoughts out there and justify them. I slated Flanagan because he was awful, and then we inexplicably changed formation and shipped six at Bolton. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

I made it very clear that I'd rather have played Flanagan in a back three than the back four we played against Bolton, but that doesn't suit your agenda so you choose to ignore it.

Don't worry though, I'm sure travelling mackem will 'like' your post ;)
I usually really like and agree with your ratings and maybe I just haven’t calmed down enough to look at things dispassionately but I think you’ve been extremely generous with your marks.

Hoffmann - 4 confidence shot to bits, for me he should be saving the first Doncaster goal. Doesn’t seem to inspire confidence in his defenders, distribution gone to pieces.

Batth - 5- won his fair share of aerial duals but had no understanding with Doyle

Doyle -4 - needs taking out of the side asap. He concedes the ball far too often in dangerous positions, gets beaten in the air by virtually every opponent.

Winchester -4 - played out of position again and he looked like a fish out of water.

Cirkin - 5 - poor today. Decent enough defensively but the offensive aspect of his play needs improving. In mitigation for him we rarely get more than one player in the box so unless his crossing is pinpoint accurate, the chance of picking out a red and white shirt is very slim.

Neil -4 - like Doyle needs a break asap. The player we all lavished praise on in the early months of the season has completely disappeared.

Evans -4 - captain by title but no evidence of leadership whatsoever. Tidy in possession but has virtually zero impact on the game.

Embleton -4 - completely anonymous today, didn’t seem to understand his role and just seemed to wander about like a lost soul.

Pritchard -7 - at the moment he looks like the only quality player we’ve got. Busy and always tries to be positive.

Gooch -4 - he doesn’t hide but the constant chopping and changing of his position in the side seems to have ruined him. He’s always been inconsistent but never as consistently poor.

Stewart -5 - poor service, although he should have scored with a free header in the first half. Easily marshalled by the Doncaster centre backs.

Proctor & Dodds - Zero - Please, please, please never let them ‘organise’ the side ever again.

It's another case of people paying too much attention to the numbers, and a timely reminder of why I got rid of them.
 
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I must admit it appeared to me a lot of the first half that Winchester was playing right sided centre back. However Johnson constantly played the dogshit tactic of tucked in fullbacks so maybe that was just brainwashed into him. Either way the entire defensive set up was a shambles and Evans did nothing to alleviate the pressure by disappearing further up the pitch.
 
I always put my thoughts out there and justify them. I slated Flanagan because he was awful, and then we inexplicably changed formation and shipped six at Bolton. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

I made it very clear that I'd rather have played Flanagan in a back three than the back four we played against Bolton, but that doesn't suit your agenda so you choose to ignore it.

Don't worry though, I'm sure travelling mackem will 'like' your post ;)
No idea who travelling mackem is and why I should worry about him likeing my post.

You posted your views on the game, I disagreed, the joys of a message board
 
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