Doncaster Rovers vs Leyton Orient

The friend I attend games with has been a supporter since the early Sixties and is a True Believer. Last night he was as depressed by the performance as I have ever seen him. We agreed that effort won't hack it and the team simply isn't good enough. Even if we hadn't given away a truly shocking early goal we would have just lost 0-1, because no-one would have kept out Henderson's snap shot. As conceding five goals in two games suggests, none of the defenders are worth their places. Dickov has taken a competent side and ruined it. The only question is, does the club sack him before or after a second successive relegation.

xon

can you remember the game when he was manager and a certain ex-rovers striker scored 2 against us. When he was on for his hat-trick the crowd was going mental. He was clean through, rounded the keeper, and "missed on purpose"

I'll always remember Wignall on the radio after the game. " First time I've ever heard the fans chearing on the opposition, wanting them to f ucking score"

Was it a certain fireman?

Yankee, the point that you make about Horton would be valid perhaps if the defenders we have were good enough.
The fact is - they aren't so irrespective of how much coaching or information on how to play they are given, they will still not be good enough on match days.

As for "we should be good enough to score more than we let in", well the problem is that when a team goes a goal behind the game pattern changes, especially when it is the home team that goes behind.
The away team usually has the upper hand at that time.

He was going out with Ray Tenants daughter at the time

Andy Butler signed on loan till January.

Copps says that we need to improve in defence and attack. As I've said on the other thread, he also tells us that management and players are "looking for a formula that works"!

It is worth mentioning that Orient had a completely new back four due to injuries on Tuesday. OK they've got more money and so have a few others in Lge 1, but many work on less than we do. Dickov told us that we were good enough to stay up in the Championship and although he's lost 4 useful players, he's got a decent 'keeper plus his choices of replacements in Evina and Forrester full time, McCombe back again and he's re-engaged Wabara. They are all his players and it's his job to pull them into better shape than they are now. We don’t want to keep hearing that “it’s going to be difficult”. It’s not nearly as difficult as it was last year.

It does not take quality to work hard, challenge for the ball and run and block and to use Dickov's word, "compete". Too often they stop chasing as soon as they lose the ball, they retreat and then don't tackle and cover; they fail to do all the things that DIckov holds so dear - never mind the sophisticated stuff which he doesn't believe in.

Putting in effort, showing energy and application is what any player can do and at least some of Dickov's don’t seem to be bothered. Where are the Jimmy O'Connors, Jason Prices, Brian Stocks, James Hayters in this team? They were not the most skilful of players, but they would run and run.

One thing you can depend on is Dickov’s excuses. Copps did not want to dwell on the “blatant penalty” (as Dickov described it) as it was if anything the faintest touch which, after 8 or 9 slo-mo viewings, I am still not sure about. There was no “appeal” from Tyson or any of the other players, only outrage and histrionics from the bench 45 yards away. Dickov even said it was a “sending off”. Quite obviously he does not know the law which requires the denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity. As Tyson had fallen to the ground before the alleged touch how could he have scored? Even then there was a second defender behind the alleged offender who successfully cleared it the ball quite comfortably

Cotterill, Meite, Brown, Neall, Sharp, Duffy, Quinn, Husband, Tamas, Johnstone.
The above are ten players that we had last season that we do't have now (not four).

Replaced with:
Steer, Evina and Tyson.

Drafted into the first team squad have been a few of last years youth team and returning from a season of injuries we have Forrester,McCombe and Wabbara.
Wakefield has become a first team player and Bennett,Robinson and DeVal are in the squad when they were nowhere near last season.

It doesn't take a genius to look at those listings to see that what PD considered to be good enough to stay in the Championship last season has been replaced by a group of players who are nowhere near as good.

You've got me there Hound - I'd forgotten Brown - inexcusable. Nevertheless there were considerably fewer than all 10 being present throughout the season..

But yes you have diluted the force of my argument, but I would still contend that he has more men with good Championship experience than most teams in Lge1.

It does not detract from the fact that a significant proportion don't work as hard as they could.

Players look as though they are not trying when they lose confidence in the team plan and don't trust their team mates.

Detour...
Did anyone see the Lamella "wonder goal" for Spurs. He should have kicked it with his right foot but instead used his left coming round the right leg. It is called the Robona (ish) after an Argentinian, but I remember Alick doing it in the 60s.
History is a marvellous thing, to some!