Bristol Rovers v Blackpool Official Matchday Thread 02.01.21

AllOrNothing said:
Evidence of his quality coaching at Blackpool is what ?
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The build up and quality of passing is far superior than under Grayson. We lost games like that last year but our only response was to hack it aimlessly in the hope something dropped. Now we're complaining that Anderson beats his man on the outside but doesn't put a decent cross or that we keep the ball too much without creating anything.

We're clearly a team progressing from last season but we aren't scoring enough. The defence is absolutely fine; Garbutt is not great defensively but offers more going forward. There are problems but not massive ones. We look like a proper football team now that needs a couple more pieces in the jigsaw but we're not at the second transfer window yet so that's hardly unexpected.
 
Limechase said:
To a neutral that was an entertaining game, sadly we lost after being the better side, it happens... Thought we were a bit ponderous? slow, like they were running in treacle?, some great possession & plenty of attacking, sadly to no end, but better than Tuesday, the Gas had a strong spell after the break, & I could have seen us conceed 3 or 4, so in that respect, I'll take a positive!!

Luby lu, missed a sitter, a couple of other close chances & the game could have ended 6 all....

Yes I'm down, but we are improving... tonight my glass is half full... 🍊
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I have the same glass, but I’m afraid mine is half empty. When Critchley arrived I was full of optimism after reading his credentials, now I’m afraid I can’t see any improvement and I’m sure even his most ardent supporters have to concede his substitutions are utterly bizarre. What he expects any player to achieve in 10 minutes is beyond me and 3-4 at once. They don’t even have time to get warm, never mind affect the outcome. No I will never get my head around the reasoning, if there is any.
 
highfieldsouthshore said:
We need a solid experience
defender and a mid centrea
And a sticker in January . Of a good age who knows the league and can help the youngsters . Hoolagahan would of been perfect fro us . Not sure which striker maybe Murray from Brighton and defender - a Micheal Jackson or evett type of player .
We need experience like we use to .anyone agree .
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Very much agree. Evatt was in our central defence in League One. Would I pick Ekpiteta over him - not a chance.
Jackson as Captain? - none of our current squad come near him. Reggie at right-back!....we could go on. However, this was the league we were in then and that is the standard of player we need now. Name one player now who gets in that squad? I'll give you four: Ballard, Gretarsson, Hamilton, Dougall...and that's all.
Edit: a well coached Williams and Robson could.
 
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Kip said:
The build up and quality of passing is far superior than under Grayson. We lost games like that last year but our only response was to hack it aimlessly in the hope something dropped. Now we're complaining that Anderson beats his man on the outside but doesn't put a decent cross or that we keep the ball too much without creating anything.

We're clearly a team progressing from last season but we aren't scoring enough. The defence is absolutely fine; Garbutt is not great defensively but offers more going forward. There are problems but not massive ones. We look like a proper football team now that needs a couple more pieces in the jigsaw but we're not at the second transfer window yet so that's hardly unexpected.
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Critchley will bring in more dross!
 
62years&counting said:
I might be in the minority re Critchley and his sorry bunch but would love a round the table discussion. I simply don't get how people can be happy with Critchley and his players performances and results this season. His signings, team selection and tactics border on disastrous.
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Look '62. You get peoples' backs up and I don't doubt you both know it and engineer it. It would help if you could pick out something positive. We have some good players who Critchley has given the opportunity to play well. Do you not find anything there to say, "let's concentrate on them, with some additions and we might create something.?
 
Kip said:
The build up and quality of passing is far superior than under Grayson. We lost games like that last year but our only response was to hack it aimlessly in the hope something dropped. Now we're complaining that Anderson beats his man on the outside but doesn't put a decent cross or that we keep the ball too much without creating anything.

We're clearly a team progressing from last season but we aren't scoring enough. The defence is absolutely fine; Garbutt is not great defensively but offers more going forward. There are problems but not massive ones. We look like a proper football team now that needs a couple more pieces in the jigsaw but we're not at the second transfer window yet so that's hardly unexpected.
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Exactly right. We are struggling badly in the final third, but we absolutely have made progress. Despite a similar league position, I think we're much closer to being able to challenge the top end than we were, although we do still need those missing pieces for that to happen.
No matter what anyone thinks of Critchley, we should never have lost that game today and the fact we did was nothing to do with tactics or lineup.
 
BFC_53 said:
Exactly right. We are struggling badly in the final third, but we absolutely have made progress. Despite a similar league position, I think we're much closer to being able to challenge the top end than we were, although we do still need those missing pieces for that to happen.
No matter what anyone thinks of Critchley, we should never have lost that game today and the fact we did was nothing to do with tactics or lineup.
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HIS players, HIS responsibility.
 
tangerine_neil said:
You have to question the recruitment & identification of targets. There have been far more misses than hits and the coach has failed to improve the players we have signed.
Maybe if we played the same formation for a few games the players might know what they are doing.

Anyway, time to get my exercise in... 😎
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Spot on.
 
1966_and_all_that said:
Look '62. You get peoples' backs up and I don't doubt you both know it and engineer it. It would help if you could pick out something positive. We have some good players who Critchley has given the opportunity to play well. Do you not find anything there to say, "let's concentrate on them, with some additions and we might create something.?
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Who are these good players? Which players has he improved? Do you agree with his obsession on playing 4-3-3? You happy with his tinkering, his tactics, his substitutions? Do you think he should be allowed to any more dosh...given he wasted it on Yates and Lubala?
 
62years&counting said:
Who are these good players? Which players has he improved? Do you agree with his obsession on playing 4-3-3? You happy with his tinkering, his tactics, his substitutions? Do you think he should be allowed to any more dosh...given he wasted it on Yates and Lubala?
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I'm saying, there are good players at this club. I'm asking which ones you think they are and how you would think Critchley should build a club around them. By the way, I'm spending time on this so please come up with something.
 
62years&counting said:
You need to give yours a wobble...but then you might dislodge your tangerine spectacles.
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I'm a Blackpool fan so of course I wear tangerine tinted spectacles. I can comment positively and negatively whilst you are in your element when Blackpool lose.
Do you approach everything in life with such a negative attitude?
If so you won't need to worry for much longer because a huge asteroid is about to hit earth just before we all die from coronavirus.
 
Kip said:
The build up and quality of passing is far superior than under Grayson. We lost games like that last year but our only response was to hack it aimlessly in the hope something dropped. Now we're complaining that Anderson beats his man on the outside but doesn't put a decent cross or that we keep the ball too much without creating anything.

We're clearly a team progressing from last season but we aren't scoring enough. The defence is absolutely fine; Garbutt is not great defensively but offers more going forward. There are problems but not massive ones. We look like a proper football team now that needs a couple more pieces in the jigsaw but we're not at the second transfer window yet so that's hardly unexpected.
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I agree about the Grayson tactics. Unfortunately, today- Feeney across to Gnanduillet would have won it for us.
 
All the marching, the singing and dancing, Raggy, and Afroman and Gypsys Tramps and Theives, Young Girl and nothing's changed. Were still shit.
 
62years&counting said:
HIS players, HIS responsibility.
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Yes and they were his players that beat Peterborough, Hull, Portsmouth and Fleetwood. We are missing quality in the final third and it's his responsibility along with the recruitment team to find that. Some of the players we thought would give us that so far have been misses rather than hits. But we have brought in some good players.
 
62 years and counting has posted 850odd messages on this board.
I'd hazzard a guess that 845 of them have been negative 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

It's not that 62's glass is half full.
It's that he hasn't got a glass to begin with.

You poor soul, here's hoping you have an average new year😘
 
Bi
62years&counting said:
Your opinion of them is similar to mine then?
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I think NC is probably great on a whiteboard (can I say that?)
However I believe we need a manager at League 1 level; one who can motivate, lead
and occasionally challenge those who are fortunate enough to be paid for playing a game. We've been outthought and outcoached this season, by managers who may not have the qualifications, but possess the experience and nouse to find us out early.
NC might well be an effective No. 2 at a higher level with better players at his disposal, but I can't see him getting us out of League 1.
I admit the only one way to gain said experience is to keep faith with him, but fear we may have to endure several more years of mediocrity before we reap the benefit.

Apart from the fans, I feel sorry for SS, who's invested millions, laid the foundations for our off-the-field growth and is passionate for success. Think there have been a couple of ill-informed managerial appointments which have prevented team progression, but, in the face of unprecedented challenges, he appears determined to get us there

NC told us, this evening, his half-time pep talk consisted of asking the players to keep doing what they'd been doing in the first half. If referring to spurning chances in the box, making costly mistakes at the back and, in short, losing, then yes, I agree that's not effective management.
He suggested he'd "tried everything ", which doesn't augur well.
He ended the interview by admitting the players didn't produce the goods. Just wish he'd have accepted some accountability.
 
Wizzerboy said:
62 years and counting has posted 850odd messages on this board.
I'd hazzard a guess that 845 of them have been negative 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

It's not that 62's glass is half full.
It's that he hasn't got a glass to begin with.

You poor soul, here's hoping you have an average new year😘
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...and hoping yours is as disastrous as Critchley's.
 
BFC_53 said:
Yes and they were his players that beat Peterborough, Hull, Portsmouth and Fleetwood. We are missing quality in the final third and it's his responsibility along with the recruitment team to find that. Some of the players we thought would give us that so far have been misses rather than hits. But we have brought in some good players.
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Who are these good players who have lost 10 of their 20 league games?
 
Insider said:
I'm a Blackpool fan so of course I wear tangerine tinted spectacles. I can comment positively and negatively whilst you are in your element when Blackpool lose.
Do you approach everything in life with such a negative attitude?
If so you won't need to worry for much longer because a huge asteroid is about to hit earth just before we all die from coronavirus.
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I sure you will wander blindly into its path long before me. Just own up to the fact that Pool under Critchley are crap.
 
Rich T said:
Bi

I think NC is probably great on a whiteboard (can I say that?)
However I believe we need a manager at League 1 level; one who can motivate, lead
and occasionally challenge those who are fortunate enough to be paid for playing a game. We've been outthought and outcoached this season, by managers who may not have the qualifications, but possess the experience and nouse to find us out early.
NC might well be an effective No. 2 at a higher level with better players at his disposal, but I can't see him getting us out of League 1.
I admit the only one way to gain said experience is to keep faith with him, but fear we may have to endure several more years of mediocrity before we reap the benefit.

Apart from the fans, I feel sorry for SS, who's invested millions, laid the foundations for our off-the-field growth and is passionate for success. Think there have been a couple of ill-informed managerial appointments which have prevented team progression, but, in the face of unprecedented challenges, he appears determined to get us there

NC told us, this evening, his half-time pep talk consisted of asking the players to keep doing what they'd been doing in the first half. If referring to spurning chances in the box, making costly mistakes at the back and, in short, losing, then yes, I agree that's not effective management.
He suggested he'd "tried everything ", which doesn't augur well.
He ended the interview by admitting the players didn't produce the goods. Just wish he'd have accepted some accountability.
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Wizzerboy said:
Wishing you an average new year I thought would have been an improvement on the ones you normally have.
Thanks for yet another classic answer.
Showing yourself up to be the bitter and twisted old man we all thought you are🤣
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As you already know I don't give a shit what you think, but I do pity you.
 
Rich T said:
Bi

I think NC is probably great on a whiteboard (can I say that?)
However I believe we need a manager at League 1 level; one who can motivate, lead
and occasionally challenge those who are fortunate enough to be paid for playing a game. We've been outthought and outcoached this season, by managers who may not have the qualifications, but possess the experience and nouse to find us out early.
NC might well be an effective No. 2 at a higher level with better players at his disposal, but I can't see him getting us out of League 1.
I admit the only one way to gain said experience is to keep faith with him, but fear we may have to endure several more years of mediocrity before we reap the benefit.

Apart from the fans, I feel sorry for SS, who's invested millions, laid the foundations for our off-the-field growth and is passionate for success. Think there have been a couple of ill-informed managerial appointments which have prevented team progression, but, in the face of unprecedented challenges, he appears determined to get us there

NC told us, this evening, his half-time pep talk consisted of asking the players to keep doing what they'd been doing in the first half. If referring to spurning chances in the box, making costly mistakes at the back and, in short, losing, then yes, I agree that's not effective management.
He suggested he'd "tried everything ", which doesn't augur well.
He ended the interview by admitting the players didn't produce the goods. Just wish he'd have accepted some accountability.
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Excellent post.
 
62years&counting said:
As you already know I don't give a shit what you think, but I do pity you.
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Dont pity me old man.
I'm happy enough to be able to see both sides of an argument.
I pity the folk who are dead set in their ways and rant and rant at the same things time and time again, it's really pathetic .
Take a moment to reflect on how you are😁👍🏻
 
62years&counting said:
Who are these good players who have lost 10 of their 20 league games?
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And the other 10 we haven't lost, I guess it depends if you're a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person.

To answer, Ekpiteta, Dougall, Ballard, Hamilton and Garbutt are all players who most other league one sides would want in my opinion. The trouble is they're mostly defensive, hence we struggle to score. Your suggestion that we haven't brought any good players in under Critchley is laughable it really is. Would a team full of very poor players have beaten Hull, Portsmouth and Peterborough?
 
Wizzerboy said:
Dont pity me old man.
I'm happy enough to be able to see both sides of an argument.
I pity the folk who are dead set in their ways and rant and rant at the same things time and time again, it's really pathetic .
Take a moment to reflect on how you are😁👍🏻
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...but I do pity you. Have the courage to admit that Pool under Critchley are a mess.
 
BFC_53 said:
And the other 10 we haven't lost, I guess it depends if you're a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person.

To answer, Ekpiteta, Dougall, Ballard, Hamilton and Garbutt are all players who most other league one sides would want in my opinion. The trouble is they're mostly defensive, hence we struggle to score. Your suggestion that we haven't brought any good players in under Critchley is laughable it really is. Would a team full of very poor players have beaten Hull, Portsmouth and Peterborough?
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...and do you think we will beat the 3 teams you mentioned on their own patch?
Ekpiteta's aerial and passing ability is still poor. Dougall has run out of steam. Ballard isn't our player. Hamilton has pace but little end product and like most players who rely exclusively on pace will suffer from hamstring trouble. Garbutt was hardly in demand or he wouldn't be here, can't defend and has offered little so far.
 
62years&counting said:
...and do you think we will beat the 3 teams you mentioned on their own patch?
Ekpiteta's aerial and passing ability is still poor. Dougall has run out of steam. Ballard isn't our player. Hamilton has pace but little end product and like most players who rely exclusively on pace will suffer from hamstring trouble. Garbutt was hardly in demand or he wouldn't be here, can't defend and has offered little so far.
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We did beat Peterborough on their own patch. You didn't really answer the question. Would a team full of nothing but poor players beat three of the top 5?
 
BFC_53 said:
And the other 10 we haven't lost, I guess it depends if you're a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person.

To answer, Ekpiteta, Dougall, Ballard, Hamilton and Garbutt are all players who most other league one sides would want in my opinion. The trouble is they're mostly defensive, hence we struggle to score. Your suggestion that we haven't brought any good players in under Critchley is laughable it really is. Would a team full of very poor players have beaten Hull, Portsmouth and Peterborough?
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Not sure about Ekpiteta myself, looks to have a mistake in him. He partners Ballard or Greta but never seems to be left out himself. Out of the three CB’s I’d argue he’s the third best.
 
62years&counting said:
...but I do pity you. Have the courage to admit that Pool under Critchley are a mess.
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I have the courage to say that, at the moment it isnt going to plan.
What I'm not, is a headless chicken that looks to a clean sweep every time a result doesn't go our way.
I thought that being an old man you'd have the sence of being able to see the bigger picture rather than these youngsters that want instant success.
If you want that go and support Man City or another 'big' club.
Instant success will not be coming to Bloomfield Rd but when it eventually does come itll be so much sweeter.

Is it not time for your cocoa yet👴
 
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