Going back 6 matches who do you think has the better form? I need hardly say. Indeed there is quite a contrast between our Form-Table-Propper-uppers and the team which you would not immediately associate with the working man's sport.
If there were any straws around available for clutching I failed to find them, although I have spared myself the pre-match musings of Mr Motivator Schofield.
I wonder if he will choose the best players to win or those who will most suitably execute his process in order to fulfil his mission. Let us hope that if we do have a good first half his lieutenants restrain him for providing advice to the players on how they should tackle part 2.
Good luck to the travelling supporters who probably bought their tickets before the Head Coach had properly cemented his style on the latest sequence of misery.
I noticed that Paul Goodwin has launched another broadside in the DFP and Schofield has responded with a massively impressive statement about what is in store for next season. "There’s funds to recruit players with more experience, more physicality, more know-how and experience of getting promoted from leagues – these kind of things – to improve the squad we have." More experience and know-how could put them at an advantage over him and I am sure they will embrace his Process with loving arms.
3-0 to Harrogate.
DPL v Harrogate
posted on 14/4/23
Yes DS seems to be living on another planet. When you look closely at the players we have and what they're capable of at their best it's possible, with sensible coaching, to put a competitive team together at this level. His "system" is never going to work. As evidenced by the dire results he's produced so far.
Barlow showed good poaching form pre season but he's never been played in a position that gets the best out of him until this week. 3 at the back is a recipe for leaking goals.
If I was a betting man I'd be concentrating on how many goals Harrogate will score in the game.
However I just have a feeling that by luck rather than planning we'll scrape a 1-1 draw. I'll go Barlow or Close. Surely a big defeat should see the end of DS though.
posted on 15/4/23
Donaldo was right – when you look at the last six games, we have just one point, the lowest of any team in the division. You look at Harrogate who have 9 points and have scored 9 goals but have let in 8, and the Rovers have scored 2 and let in 11.
Any better in his right mind would say Harrogate will win. One of these days we should get a lucky win (not that it really happened with that loss run when we went from L1 to L2 after Fergie took over, but did bounce back), but I’ll destroy my diminishing lead in the DPL by saying 2-1 to the Rovers! I’m not sure where 2 goals can come from, but will opt for Goodman if he starts, Hurst if he starts and Goodman doesn’t. Rowe if neither does.
I have yet not decided whether I want to watch the game, or the EPL!
posted on 15/4/23
2-1 to Harrogate. Barlow to score for us.
posted on 15/4/23
The club who remained silent about the continuing series of depressing results for some time have now made encouraging statements about funds for next season, but have nevertheless linked it all with the present leadership.
They seem to ignore the appalling record and unconvincing excuses of this naive Head Coach who only now seems to have realised that his team don’t have the physical strength to compete.
It is almost as though he has read a book on coaching and never seen a real match until recently, only to discover that processes only run smoothly if there is no interference.
I used to get frustrated at some of Dickov’s answers to questions which were just deliberately evasive, but Schofield just trots out the same old stuff seemingly unable to properly address the subject and totally unwillingly to relate it to the practicalities of football.
His latest statements about the need for physicality read as though this has only just dawned on him. It just underlines that his emphasis is on pure theory.
There will be no one there to watch next season. So much support has gone as a result of his naivety. There is no joy in watching games and being a fan. Copps and the Board are so utterly misguided in putting their trust in this useless Coach.
posted on 15/4/23
I haven't heard anything encouraging yet, Mr Schofield is the problem not the solution.
Harrogate 2-0 Rovers 😐
posted on 15/4/23
Just seen the line-up. Please change my scorer to Barlow as mine are on the bench!
posted on 17/4/23
There was a bit of encouragement in the first half and when certain players’ natural ability is not suppressed by Schofield’s system, there seems hope.
But they again collapsed in the second half unable to react to a more energetic Harrogate team. Is it really what Schofield says at half time which must be advice about his assessment of the opposition and how a variation in their approach might be countered?
But yet again, despite the extra goal which should have been a boost, Rovers were unable to consolidate and they let them in. On DS’s own admission we became too passive , but why can’t he engender more fighting spirit?
The simple answer is because he does not come over as an inspiring leader. To be absolutely honest I do no think he is suited to leadership. He is the polar opposite of SOD’s number 2, Richard O’Kelly. He was a man who you would work hard not out let down, whereas DS’s manner as more like a series of text-book quotations.