Never before have I been in such a fog when it comes to forming an opinion on how Rovers will perform in given matches. Performances never seem good (to me), so it is question of how bad. No doubt we will see effort from a handful of individuals and regular readers will know who I think they are, but then there are others whose commitment is often difficult to discern. So I refuse to accept that overall, as a team, they will “fight for survival" even to the extent that Dickov’s team did. I remember too that Fergie’s teams’ efforts often seemed to fail as a result of what I saw as bad luck and though perhaps disappointed, they retained my commitment to the cause.
I suppose that a comparator would be the teams put out in the Experiment, but even then players like the one who flew in from France on match-day (whose name I can’t recall) and El Hadj Diouf, who might have chosen to just coast through games actually put themselves out and although I felt distanced from the team to some extent, they were representing Rovers and I was still prepared to go and actively support them. I was at Bristol when the French fellow was sent off only because of the crowd reaction to his slightly over-zealous tackle - oh yes, they had tacklers in that team. I also went to watch them at West Ham when Diouf starred on the left wing and scored in the draw.
I am not sure whether I’d travel for any distance now to watch this lot.
I almost feel that they should be punished by relegation, but it is us that will suffer and I wonder if most of them really care about whether we go down or not.
My memory of the away game was that we looked the better of two poor sides until they scored and then we collapsed and stopped trying as usual. Of course they have nothing to play for now, but for us to get all 3 points they would probably have to “let us win".
If we had any real strength as a team I might be suggesting that Bolton are not great goal-scorers so there might be just a chance of winning … four 1-1s, one 1-0 and one 0-1 in the last 6 against a mixture of good and bad teams. In fact, one team in this sequence was Crewe and they could only score 1 goal against them, but they obviously won. We scored 2 against Crewe and they only scored one, so in a sense we more prolific, BUT to beat Bolton we need to score at least a goal against a team with a competent defence and there is no recent evidence to reach the conclusion that we can do that.
I shall listen to the commentary out of habit, largely without emotion and continue to hope that I will find next season more like I usually feel about my team where I have actually genuinely invested my emotions in hopes for their success.
I would be surprised if we got any points out of this, so 0-2.
DPL v Bolton Wanderers
posted on 16/4/22
Just saw the edited highlights. A few good Rovers moves but poor defending for Sadlier's winning goal. He was completely unmarked.
posted on 16/4/22
Same all season useless against crosses into the box.
posted on 16/4/22
FA Cup Final, Boat race, watching television in parent’s friends’ houses with curtains closed - remember it well. I also went up to Doncaster for that memorable match and actually introduced myself to JR just outside the stadium and thanked him before the match - something I would rarely do normally.
posted on 16/4/22
My problem is we have some fans, well quite a few actually, who think keeping the core of this side whilst adding a couple, will get us straight back up. Deluded.
You need players with fight, balls to get stuck in, don't get injured while jogging round Cantley Park.
Bostock wouldn't last 3 games, then he would be out for season, they'd kick him all over pitch. He'll be one to go at the end of the season, along with players like Anderson.
We will need a total rebuild to stay up, let alone have a go at getting back up. I've watched a lot of games in the 2nd division over last 18 months, and conference too. Think a lot of our fans are in for a shock, yes there are skillful players, yes there are skillful teams, the difference is they can look after themselves. This season it was men against boys, next season it could be lambs v wolves.
We truly are in a far worse position than people think, but we've still got club Doncaster to ride to our rescue.
posted on 16/4/22
This is where things stand at the moment with the race for the top with 3 in contention about the most exciting thing around at the moment!
4 more defeats on the cards, but by how many and will we score and if so who? Perhaps naming Rowe will only provide 2 points - only joking!
Rovers 2 (Rowe) : Crewe A 0
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 60 >>>>>> 63
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>> 3 >>>>> 67 >>>>>> 70
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>>> 9 >>>>>> 9
Crazy>>>>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 7 >>>>> 51 >>>>> 58
Mooligan>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 104 >>>>>> 107
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 99 >>>>>> 99
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 101 >>>>>> 101
LixmKing> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 9 >>>>>>>> 9
>>>>>>>>> 4 >>>>> 0 >>>> 12 >>>> 0 >>>>> 16 >>>> 500 >>>>> 516
Rovers 1 (Odubeko) : Bolton W 2
>>>>>>> Scorer > Score > Result Bonus > Total > Pts B/F >>> O/all
Donaldo>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 63 >>>>>> 66
PDXMickey> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 70 >>>>>> 70
BVZ>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 9 >>>>>> 9
Crazy>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 58 >>>>> 58
Mooligan>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 107 >>>>>> 107
Nookie>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>> 0 >>>>> 3 >>>>> 99 >>>>>> 102
Selby>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 101 >>>>>> 101
LixmKing>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>>> 9 >>>>>>> 9
>>>>>>>>>> 0 >>>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>>> 0 >>>>> 6 >>>> 516 >>>>> 522
posted on 16/4/22
Hi Donaldo
I think that you may have got mine and Bookies points mixed up from yesterday's game⚽
posted on 16/4/22
Nookies not Bookies 😊
Predictive text
posted on 16/4/22
Yes I didn't get the result right
posted on 17/4/22
Finally watched the highlights. Based on those, we should have been comfortable winners. Some good play, but bad misses from Rowe, Smith, Barlow especially. Poor tracking and marking for both Bolton goals.
Will I watch tomorrow???
posted on 18/4/22
Mooli: Sorry about the error and the correction will show up next time.
Mickey: Sadlier played his usual game; when he got the ball he used it sensibly and at this level he shows class. Interesting to hear your view of the highlights. It is a long time since I saw a whole match so I had nothing with which to make a direct comparison.
If that performance was better it does not say much about those that immediately preceded it.