Plymouth have not been getting particularly impressive results recently, something of a decline following their previous manager’s departure, and are below halfway in the form table. Away from home they have managed just one win at Cheltenham in the last 6 and 6 points from 5 games, so they are not in top 6 form.
With our recent recruits, we have the potential to be more of a force to be reckoned with. And we are at home and we are due some luck against Plymouth. GM has said Clayton (who sounds mature, sensible and responsible in his interview) is unlikely to start, but I guess will be fit enough for the bench, but he didn’t say the same of Odubeko, so he may be in the team that kicks off. Judging from the YouTube clips, he is the sort of player that resembles Richards and J-J in his incisive attacking play with goals to match. It seems too, that there may be a couple more coming in. GM continues to talk in a way that makes you feel we are in good hands.
I cannot make much of an informed judgement beyond generalities, but I am getting increasingly happy and optimistic, feelings that hardly touched me in 2021.
So I’m going for a 2-1 win (Odubeko, Agard).
DPL v Plymouth A
posted on 29/1/22
Based on the hope of building some impetus from the new signings. 😁
Rovers 2-1 Plymouth
Odubeko to score his first of many for us⚽⚽
C'mon Rovers
posted on 29/1/22
We wont turn the corner until we master defending against them and scoring from them. Jones not up to it. A blind spot from GMc.
posted on 29/1/22
The highlights reinforce my long-held view that Jones lacks the degree of athleticism that modern goalkeepers require. He reacts slowly and rarely seems to get anywhere near shots on goal.
Because he is so relatively static he makes almost all the shots that go past him look unstoppable.
posted on 30/1/22
Was going to put on here at halftime we're going to shoot ourselves in the foot with this wind in the 2nd half, and we did. This is the reason we are going down.
Cannot keep missing chances week on week.
Cannot defend the back post.
Cannot play against teams with wide men, who stay out wide and get round the back, unmarked.
We're not fit enough, run out of puff after 60mins.
On the plus side, got told that a certain Reo from France was at game yesterday. That would be unbelievable if he signed. 👍
posted on 30/1/22
Yes it's still really a makeshift defence easily penetrated. Horton not good enough in defence and I'm not that fond of Knoyle. Olowu and Younger lack experience. Jones never should be No1 GK. At least we're getting in a position where we make scoring chances and the goals will come. But unless the defence is strengthened we won't win many matches.
posted on 30/1/22
Yes lots of rumours about Reo Griffiths.
posted on 30/1/22
Yet another game where we should have been out of sight by half-time. It is a pity Smith missed his golden opportunity as otherwise he was by far the Rovers best player. Odubeko gets good marks for being in the right place several times, but just a pity he could not put any of his chances into the net. Rowe was unlucky with his post hit, and I’ll have to watch to highlights to try and see where the offside was when he “scored”. When he went for the top corner from a narrow angle, it may have been better to cross to our lad who was in the middle.
As everyone is pointing out, our defence (or lack of it) was terrible. To the continuing lack of good defending by our full backs, we had two centre-backs playing below previous form. I had hoped Younger’s performance against MKDons was not a one-off, but Ellis got past him so easily for their first goal.
As far as Jones is concerned, I thought we had seen some improvement as he got more game time, but today he was back to square one. He should have done better with the first two goals, and the improving command of his area was totally missing. As Donaldo said, he was stationary most of the time, and I know their forwards were blocking him at set pieces (as our forwards do), he showed poor judgement as to when to come for the ball and was lucky to get away with some feeble punches. At least he can look at Dahlberg getting hit for seven – albeit four from penalties (one against Dahlberg).
posted on 31/1/22
Got to say the lino got the Tommy one wrong, it came off one of their players, but the one that proves these linos are useless was the goal they scored, but, luckily for us wasn't given. Our defender hacked it away, yet it looking a good foot or two over, swings n roundabouts.
Let's hope we're better tomorrow night, cos they won't miss chances if we defend like Saturday.
posted on 31/1/22
Thanks for these comments everyone. I haven’t had the time to really study how it went, beyond listening and seeing the extended highlights.
posted on 31/1/22
Reo has signed on a 2 n a half year deal, now that is a signing 👏 👏👏👏