Southampton v Rovers: 16th September 2023

[Drog]

Good ! Never a pen anyway.

 

[Barmitzvah Boy]

Lucky, very lucky, it is only 3-0. It should have been about 8-0.

 

[Husky]

Congrats to those that stuck with the game (you obviously didn't have anything better to do).

The game was nothing but an attack vs defence training session after the sending off.

 

[Drog]

4-0 harsh. South coast curse again

 

[Peter quill]

Yeah but we played with 10 men for half a game against a premiership squad and on a positive note we didn’t give up and the team put in a shift.
Another real poor ref which maybe just an opinion but Brittan booked for pulling someone down on a breakaway then smodics pulled down on a breakaway no booking. I don’t ask for infallibility just consistency.
I can’t stand Martin or his teams who are representative of his arrogant attitude.
Only 3 go up let’s hope they aren’t one of them. We all know how poor he is without money.

 

[khmerblue]

I turned the stream off after Brittian got sent off and listened to the radio.I read of stoke city intrest in JDT , not in a million years would i have guessed Rovers would have set up like they did today.It got me wondering if JDT has been tapped up, i think he might be saying to our owners this is what we face if you do not back me in Jan.Btw its Watford next and they scored a sackfull.

 

[Drog]

I didn't see the first half but why did we improve after we went down to 10? Also what did Carter get a yellow for? Was he gobbing off at the ref after the whistle.

 

[goozburger.]

I only managed to tune in from about thirty minutes in.

Wahlstedt
Man of the Match. Pulled off some great saves, and unfair reflection on him to be on the receiving end of four goals conceded.

Brittain
Clearly forgot he was on a yellow card when stupidly booting the ball away. Cost us any chance of getting anything. I believe he had our best chance earlier in the game before I tuned in.

Hill
Quite good. Tackled well, but also gave the ball away cheaply on occasion. Played a good ball through at one point.

S Wharton
Solid. Nothing noteworthy.

Carter
Solid, but was clearly out of control at the referee in the second-half until Travis restrained him. Lucky to not get a booking.

Pickering
Decent game. Nothing noteworthy.

Tronstad
One of his poorer games. Just didn't get on the ball or into the opposition players.

A Wharton
Not his game when the opposition has so much possession.

Moran
Had one of our first reasonable chances in the second-half, but like others in midfield, the game bypassed him.

Sigurdsson
Did some defensive duties well in the first half, but completely absent from the game in the second-half.

Szmodics
Didn't get a sniff. A few loose passes.

As for the subs...

Leonard
Thought he did well. Had one or two half-chances, and got stuck in at the back.

Travis
Probably his best contribution was to stop Carter from getting booked. Ironic that he brought a calming influence to the players.

Garrett
Worked hard and did well when the game had already gone.

I predicted a draw, but to get a hammering like that is a real low point for the season. We are paper-thin as a squad, and thanks to Brittain's hot-headedness (which I partially sympathise with because the referee was atrocious), we are going to find the festive period even more challenging. While it never really felt like we were competing well enough with eleven men, at 1-0 down, you're still in the game, and going down to ten men was goodnight Vienna.

 

[goozburger.]

I didn't see the first half but why did we improve after we went down to 10? Also what did Carter get a yellow for? Was he gobbing off at the ref after the whistle.

Ah... I didn't clock that one. So, Travis' efforts were in vain, then.

 

[Dunnfc]

Callum Brittain needs moving on in January.

Not good enough or better than JRC at RB. Certainly not a winger either. Hopefully the daft red mens this madness playing up top/wide ends.

It's like playing with 10 men.

 

[Dunnfc]

I turned the stream off after Brittian got sent off and listened to the radio.I read of stoke city intrest in JDT , not in a million years would i have guessed Rovers would have set up like they did today.It got me wondering if JDT has been tapped up, i think he might be saying to our owners this is what we face if you do not back me in Jan.Btw its Watford next and they scored a sackfull.

I think there is a bit of that going on. BSA used to play this game like a master.

 

[goozburger.]

Callum Brittain needs moving on in January.

Not good enough or better than JRC at RB. Certainly not a winger either. Hopefully the daft red mens this madness playing up top/wide ends.

It's like playing with 10 men.

We are stretched as a squad. Getting rid of players who are forcibly played out of position or have one moment of madness would be rash.

I think things are going to ease up for us when our injured players start returning, which doesn't seem too far away, now.

It's hard to say how the January window will pan out. I've read rumours that the Indian tax situation might ease up for Venkys, soon, but even if it does, we still need to sell to buy anybody for a significant fee if we're to remain financially compliant. Just a modest bit of funding would help if it's possible.

One thing I would like to see is Tomasson signing a new contract, but I can't see him signing one until he knows how summer is panning out. I live in hope.

 

[khmerblue]

It does not help when the LET keep reporting on the fact that no contract is on the table.

 

[khmerblue]

Ive just read the BBC report and JDT said we came with the intention of winning the game.Did not look like that to me.

 

[Drog]

Ah... I didn't clock that one. So, Travis' efforts were in vain, then.

1. I don't think Carter is a big fan of the that Argie Carlos Alcaraz and the penalty should never have been given.
2. Yet again we had another biased referee! When are we going to get one who is biased in OUR favour?

 

[Drog]

Ive just read the BBC report and JDT said we came with the intention of winning the game.Did not look like that to me.

Everybody intends to win when they kick off a football match. Whether the whole team is up for it or capable of winning is another matter. Again we played a parachute club with quality subs galore just as our squad and our bench is at it's weakest. Timing is all. At least Nob End got a paggering at Deepdale and Burnley lost at'turf to their old manager currently in charge of a relegation rival. Every cloud as they say!

 

[Drog]

but even if it does, we still need to sell to buy anybody for a significant fee if we're to remain financially compliant. Just a modest bit of funding would help if it's possible.

If I were in charge of a club losing money hand over fist no way would I actually sanction the Manager actually buying anybody! Players move at the end of their contracts for nothing so it'd make sense to adapt to the new football way of business an simply offer very lucrative shorter term but performance related contracts to out of contract players at other clubs. Our painful experience with Rothwell, Lenihan, Brereton and Phillips plus possible future issues with Dolan, Gallagher and Adam Wharton etc means the old rulebook has been shredded by the players and their agents so we need to adapt accordingly. If the modern players wants to behave like 'guns for hire' then we must treat them as such although I'd be inclined to add slightly different 'loyalty' clauses for our own Academy graduates.

 

[Barmitzvah Boy]

We are stretched as a squad. Getting rid of players who are forcibly played out of position or have one moment of madness would be rash.

I think things are going to ease up for us when our injured players start returning, which doesn't seem too far away, now.

It's hard to say how the January window will pan out. I've read rumours that the Indian tax situation might ease up for Venkys, soon, but even if it does, we still need to sell to buy anybody for a significant fee if we're to remain financially compliant. Just a modest bit of funding would help if it's possible.

One thing I would like to see is Tomasson signing a new contract, but I can't see him signing one until he knows how summer is panning out. I live in hope.

The V’s are making a new application for the next 3 months worth of Interim Relief to the Delhi High Court in January; non of this is for transfers and any transfer kitty money must be self generated by player sales and / or gate and sponsorship monies.

The V’s had four cases of fraud being investigated and two of these have recently been dropped. These investigations may take many more months and until we have an outcome I cannot see any additional finances forthcoming unless Adam Wharton is sold. Ironically the chance of selling AW is I believe increased now he has signed a new contract - all that has happened is that the new contract increases his value to the Club.

Viewing the relationship between JDT and senior executives I would say it is strained to put it mildly. I do not believe he will be offered a new contract and if he was I doubt if he would accept it. Sadly our finances are such that we will not be able to shore up our team unless it is via a loan and finding a decent loanee in the January window is about as rare as rocking horse shit.

 

[Peter quill]

It is a shame because I do believe the stars align for every club now and again. I think the manager is the right one at the right time when we have a crop of talented youngsters coming from the academy. All it would have taken is expenditure on a bit of experience up front as a priority and a few old heads to help us manage games. I think we are not that far off but I think our chance is slowly slipping away.
I suppose it’s all part of the Venkies journey they could never be accused of consistency or a planned direction of travel.

 

[Drog]

Viewing the relationship between JDT and senior executives I would say it is strained to put it mildly. I do not believe he will be offered a new contract and if he was I doubt if he would accept it.

Never mind if that should happen. I've defended the injury situation but even so not withstanding that we are currently in 11th place on 31 points after 22 matches. On Christmas Day last season we were 3rd with 39 points after 23 matches! What cannot speak cannot lie and I don't see an improvement for sure.

Even with an excellent record Tony Mowbray was not offered a new contract at Ewood. Now he's been sacked by Sunderland a week ago who even after losing yesterday are still 6 places above us and 7th in the table
.
Suffice to say he's out of work and most probably available.