Matchday megathread, Bristol Rovers v Barnsley

I’ve said Watters needed a goal for his confidence - but he’s got worse after he got one.

He was by any measure absolutely terrible today at the one aspect of his game that is most important.

His finishing for a centre forward is no better than woeful. In fact woeful might be generous. It’s ten yards over, ten yards wide or straight at the keeper EVERY time. Rushed, panicked.

It’s alright having a go at Clarke for not starting Nwakali or for bringing Roberts back in or anything else - but there isn’t really any other option than to start Watters (Humphrys isn’t really a centre forward but he might have to be now before we sign one [assuming we even do]); he has missed enough chances in the last two or three games (and particularly today) to have been outright top scorer by a country mile. As it is though he has one more than Marc Roberts and the same number as Jon Russell, and DKD has more than double his tally.

If we take the lead today we win the game. The momentum stays with us. Get an early goal against them on another day and we’d get five and six.

Don’t get me wrong, conceding three to this Bristol Rovers side is exceptionally poor. But it was the other end of the pitch that cost us most today. And it’s the other end of the pitch that will continue to hurt us if not addressed.

 

Good post mate, Watters is doing the hard bit by getting on the end created chances but as you say failing to convert. He has surprised me this season because I thought finishing was his strong point and work rate wasn’t. ....seems to be other way round.

 

My bad It was the disallowed goal that happened before the sinclair chance. Where watters is stood offside in front of there keeper.

 

I'm starting to lose it a bit now with DC and his selections (favorites).
As others have stated, we were doing fine with McCarthy and Pines, so why change?
How he doesn't start Nwakali more often is baffling.
Why we don't try any other options (U21) in place of Cosgrove after 25+ games, is criminal.
It really appears that he has favorites, who if fit will start, regardless of the prior performances and / or current form of other players.
Cotter is another who was dropped earlier in the season after some good performances.

 

Yeah I thought that was a weird statement as well lol.
Watch out everybody, maybe he has more powerful action man type eyes!.

 

We can all argue about selections & who we prefer but the truth is we’ve won 4 in a row & the manager has picked a side that has gone out & created far more chances than the opposition which is what you want to see.

I think you have to give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

That’s not a yes or no answer. Would you expect a Director of Football to have the same level of expertise as people on a message board. Yes or no.

 

I think it's a pointless discussion are we suggesting sack the board because we didn't sell Cosgrove in the summer after his 2 best games in a barnsley shirt?

 

We've lost for the first time in a fair few games.

No need to **** ourselves.

 

Is the number 19 ahead of the keeper? Looked nailed on during game but not so sure now.

 

didn't think Humphries or O'Keefe had particularly good games, O'Keefe crossing (apart from the goal) was awful

 

Yes but behind the ball

 

Not Offside then

 

The new lad was all over place for 3rd Humphrys should have scored the header he put wide but did OK. Good is very generous.

 

Yeah but he’s behind the ball - doesn’t have to be passed square or backwards, it can be played forward and he’s onside if he was behind when it was played.

He was.

 

Which looked a poor call by the officials. May have been a different game.

 

Who said anything about sacking anyone. What I suggested is that the Director of Football with 18 months notice should have created a better forward line than Watters backed up with Cosgrove. You because someone on a forum thought that Cosgrove was good think he’s going a brilliant job.

now back to the question should a Director of Football have more knowledge than people on a football message board.

it’s yes or no. This is like getting politician to answer a straightforward question.

 

You say the dof ****** up by not selling Cosgrove in the summer after his 2 best games in a barnsley shirt, which is just not true. And we should have brought a striker in already this window. I'd imagine due to finances we need to.get rid of Cosgrove before we bring In a striker.
The scapegoat from last season would have filled his boots yesterday with all those chances infact I think I'd have took a couple.

 

TBF the 18 months thing is a bit of an exaggeration, he hasn't been in the job 12 months yet, in fairness it probably took him a couple of months from coming in to assess the squad and how we were going to play moving forwards.
I get what you are saying that perhaps the recruitment team have been aware of the situation but really Mladen has had since the Sumner.