Doncaster Rovers | Page 6 | Vital Football

Doncaster Rovers

I think the general atmosphere around the club helps a lot of players. Staff, fans, and squadmates alike tend to buy into the family culture the club seems to embrace: we're (most of us) more patient with players than a lot of clubs, where people are on players' backs if they don't hit the ground running and impress from day one. That takes pressure off players, knowing that the club and those around the club will continue to back them if it takes a bit of time to settle into the squad and way of playing.

Players who don't feel under pressure can play more freely and some players really benefit from that.

Some obviously don't... some players need pressure to thrive, and so not everyone we sign makes a success of it. Players like Keane, Powell etc. who've had a hard time at former clubs, though, are the ones who probably thrive most at Latics, since they'll take a while to fully get the monkey off their back and re-find their mojo; we give them the time and space to do that where other clubs don't; we see a lot of players 'bounce back' at Latics, and I'm convinced that the club's atmosphere has a lot to do with it.
I'm not sure about your general statement re: our supporters giving players time. Look at Massey currently - we know he's not fit after an injury and yet some supporters (supposedly) "abuse" him online. Jordi Gomez, Kal Naismith - I could go on.
 
I was hoping that this game would give us a better idea of where we are. Winning games by the odd goal against top 6 sides is one thing, but against the bottom side who got battered by a team we had already beaten1- 0 is another.

Another game where their goalie was close to Motm.

I am worried about Keane. He is far too good for this league and if a big enough offer comes in we may lose him in January.

Agree with comments about Charlie Wyke. Need to get the ball out wide and cross from there. Lost count of the times Max and Darikwa were stood with acres of room out wide waving their hands for the ball to be hoofed up field. Not Charlie's fault just wrong format.

Good 3 points but need to make more chances or make ore use of the chances we get.
So many times we had Darikwa or Power on the overlap but Lang decided to cut inside, or Keane would bounce it back to the midfield again. I think we do need to open up a little more and while Keane brings so much to the team, I'd like him to look to link sidewise rather than dropping it back and then us losing some momentum.

I was really impressed with Darikwa and Power, and Doncaster just gave up in the last 20 mins which made it an easy and comfortably close out to the game.

Think Leam has a challenge on his hands keeping 23 players happy because I see little reason to make changes to this starting XI, and we have a squad full of genuine starters at this level now. McLean maybe had a quiet game on the ball but he worked pretty hard off the ball and just his presence keeps their full back pegged back and honest. I was also impressed with Amos' quick and flat distribution up to Wyke and Keane which repeatedly gave us 70 yards of possession.
 
I'm not sure about your general statement re: our supporters giving players time. Look at Massey currently - we know he's not fit after an injury and yet some supporters (supposedly) "abuse" him online. Jordi Gomez, Kal Naismith - I could go on.

Massey has unfortunately played poorly most of the time he's been with us even when he's been fully fit. The year we went into admin he was fit pretty much all season and i think at a push he had 1 good game. I genuinely don't blame anyone for being frustrated with him, although people giving him stick is completely counter productive. Even players who play well will get abuse shouted at them from the terraces but i don't think he's ever been booed no matter how badly he's played. So i don't think he's been singled out and targeted like Jordi and Naismith - they always got way more abuse despite never being that bad. I am surprised Massey hasn't got a rougher ride to be honest he's been far worse than some of the other players who've previously got picked on, but i'm glad he hasn't as it's not helpful.
 
I’m enjoying the away players having to make that long walk on and off the pitch. It’s our home and we need to make things uncomfortable for the visitors. Also knowing they are directly under the East Stand, I bet they hear all the fans above in the concourse which can’t be helpful to get focused, not to mention the lesser facilities they’ll have. Knowing those Bolton players will have been sat in the dressing room after the penalties listening to Bolton get battered echoing above them makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

I don't know what facilities we have for the away side under the east stand, but if we feel that putting the opposition in there gives us any slight advantage we should keep doing it as any other club would do the same to us.

It wouldn't shock me if when we go some away games this season we end up changing in far worse facilities than we offer our opponents.
 
I don't know what facilities we have for the away side under the east stand, but if we feel that putting the opposition in there gives us any slight advantage we should keep doing it as any other club would do the same to us.

It wouldn't shock me if when we go some away games this season we end up changing in far worse facilities than we offer our opponents.
The loss of the kidzone to make space for the changing rooms under the east stand is shortsighted though, IMO
 
It wasn't a sexy game but I thought it was the first different test we've had in the league from playing top of the table sides and it was always going to show us something about this group.

I think we showed signs of evolution in our play - still far too many long diagonal balls from Watts losing posession but I think Naylor and Cousins both showed a lot more for the ball and Max and Darikwa were pushing higher than in previous games that made playing out a lot easier and meant it was less long balls overall. Hopefully we'll continue to do this more and more as those long balls to Wyke's head often get lost set the opposition on the counter. We are a bit crap at long ball and much better at football so I thought there was signs of progress in that regard. Wyke is battling and working hard but he's not a target man and we need to stop asking him to be a Kieffer Moore when he's more of a Grigg type poacher. It's doing him and our other players a disservice. I'm not against long ball if it's effective but if you look at the number of times it turns over posession to the opposition rather than us keeping it I think it's probably more helpful to our opposition to look for it so often than it is too us. It's exactly what happened with Moore and we had to learn the hard way that even though he was a miles better target man than Wyke going long can work if mixed in with other good play but constant 50/50 ball wasn't effective. Thankfully it's not been as costly a learning curve in L1 but we certainly need to improve on our overall play if we want to really make the rest of the league sweat.

It was the first time we conceded the first goal and the first time we conceded in open play - it's the type of physiological / mentality test that many some promising sides struggle with - but our response was instantaneous and it showed good character and will build vital confidence that we can come back from setbacks. Against Sunderland we completely capitulated after we conceded but that wasn't the case yesterday so hopefully another sign of progress.

It was the first time we played a side who are in theory an easy opponent and we all know in football complacency so easily sneaks in and the pressure of being the favourites results in lacklustre displays where the inferior quality side outworks the better players. But we went into this game with just as much intensity and work rate as we have other games, there was no complancency and that is a very good quality to have. Dare I say that is what wins you titles.

Our game management in the later stages of the game was imperfect but significantly improved from our previous outings. We kept the ball pretty well killing time, dragging the Doncaster players all over the pitch to mentally and physically wear them down while saving our energy and showed more patients to find openings rather than being rushed into posession losing long balls all the time. Another sign of progress.

Like all the games we've played this season and got positive results we've not played that great football, but we've looked fitter, more organised, more physical, battled and worked harder than our opponents. We've kind of played like a team with low quality players who make up for what they lack in pure spirit and graft - yet we're actually more the team with superior quality who are the ones who don't work as hard due to their talent. That is a very good sign in my book as it suggests the mentality and attitude are right and with the ability we have you have to be hopeful that the standard of football will improve as time passes. The talent we have and the mentality we've shown so far should be a promotion chasing combination. Football is a funny game so you cant take anything for granted but if we can retain our spirit and refine the tactics to making the most out of what natural talent we can stay in the top 2. We have had a good start of the season despite not really playing much good football and got results by more blood and thunder than quality - so imagine what we could do if we start to play some good football.

It goes without saying the miscommunication for their goal was a mess but other than that the defence was very solid. Whatmough is a absolute beast at this level, Watts has been very impressive and unlucky not to score a couple, Darikwa looks so good at left back and Power's set piece delivery has picked up where it left off from his last spell - excellent. He's clearly showed signs he's not quite a natural defender but I think he's bringing a lot to the position you don't get from natural defenders. I think he's definitely our new right back rather than makeshift.

Naylor is so strong defensively and Cousins I don't think has really shone yet but has been quietly efficient and growing in influence.

McClean is like a man possessed and his movement and work ethic have improved us. Lang struggles to get in the game due to the long balls and clearly isn't a natural right winger but he is always a threat when he gets the ball - there's a lot more to come from him. Keane is like a harder working Nick Powell at this level - looks too good for this league - Richardson deserves a lot of credit for getting so much out of him when everyone else failed. But I've watched the video back a few times and I thought his winner was fractionally offside. But with some of the other key calls going against us I think that it was maybe our luck balanced out.

Wyke did very well for Keane's winner and worked so hard for the team but he lost the majority of long balls played into him and was out muscled in his hold up play a few times. We're still not playing to his strengths but he is still a physical presence who is occupying defenders which is valuable but he needs good service and at the moment he's largely feeding off scraps. I'm happy with his effort but he needs a lot more support than the team are giving him at the moment.

Still plenty of room for improvement but a lot of very encouraging early signs and progress is slowly being made. Overall I think everyone knows we aren't the finished product yet so continuing to pick up wins while we are working out how to play to our best is excellent. You need to be able to find ways to win when you aren't at your best if your aim is promotio and we've been doing that so far.


That's another outstanding review and mirrors the game I saw. You really do belong in the backroom staff
 
https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/fo...fuming-after-wigan-athletic-injustice-3379909

Doncaster boss fuming after Wigan Athletic injustice.

"Wigan don't need a leg up with the spending power they have -
not that I'm asking for one.

"I asked the fourth official how many more mistakes would be made but they won't talk to me."

The thing is i think Wellens was right about the free kick we scored from and our winner being offisde but with all of these managers is they never see the mistakes that went in their favour.

Their goal came from a passage of play that came directly after Smith charged into Whatmough leading with the elbow it should've been a blatant free kick for us but the ref missed it. If that free kick is given Doncaster don't score that goal.

Their goal keeper handled the ball outside the box at least twice in the second half when he was kicking from his hands.

There was an instance where their keeper dropped the ball in the first half and was in the world of trouble as we got possession with him on the deck back that was given as a foul that probably shouldn't.

And there was the instance where Wyke tapped in Langs pull back, which if i remember correctly was disallowed for a foul that was very soft.

I think the officials got everything wrong, but if they got everything right all 3 goals wouldn't have been given, but we may have had another couple that the ref didn't allow.
 
https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/fo...fuming-after-wigan-athletic-injustice-3379909

Doncaster boss fuming after Wigan Athletic injustice.

Usual gobshiteing from under pressure manager….Still away but managed to access extended highlights on Latics website last night ….and was able to pause the screen from the knockdown …..as LMB said the second Keane goal was maybe just onside and if it wasn’t ….it was just off side …..either way it was nothing remotely like “the most obvious offside you’ve ever seen”

(thought our free kick for the first was maybe a bit soft mind you 😉)
 
The loss of the kidzone to make space for the changing rooms under the east stand is shortsighted though, IMO

I didn't know that was the case, last i knew the kids zone was in the south stand.

Agreed that it is not a good trade off if it's negatively impacting what we can do for the kids.
 
I didn't know that was the case, last i knew the kids zone was in the south stand.

Agreed that it is not a good trade off if it's negatively impacting what we can do for the kids.
South Stand is the Supporters Club bar.
The Kidzone was situated underneath the East Stand for, I think, 2 seasons, before that it was in the players car park (at the back of the South Stand).
 
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Last time I checked the bottom of the East Stand was set to be converted into a massive new bar/food/fanzone for fans to go before the match in a similar way that the gravy shaggers do at Robin Park. The plans are probably still on the council website, although they’ve no doubt now been shelved since administration. It’s a big space down there, a lot can be done with it.
 
I didn't see Massey on the pitch, but I did see Thelo, as the subs were training in front of us in the South Stand.

Both him and Thelo were wearing grey tracksuits and were warming up with the rest of the squad.

At the end of the game Thelo went on to the pitch to congratulate the lads coming off whilst Massey was stood at the side of the tunnel doing the same.
 
Both him and Thelo were wearing grey tracksuits and were warming up with the rest of the squad.

At the end of the game Thelo went on to the pitch to congratulate the lads coming off whilst Massey was stood at the side of the tunnel doing the same.
I don't doubt you.
Just saying I didn't see Massey, that's all.
 
The thing is i think Wellens was right about the free kick we scored from and our winner being offisde but with all of these managers is they never see the mistakes that went in their favour.

Their goal came from a passage of play that came directly after Smith charged into Whatmough leading with the elbow it should've been a blatant free kick for us but the ref missed it. If that free kick is given Doncaster don't score that goal.

Their goal keeper handled the ball outside the box at least twice in the second half when he was kicking from his hands.

There was an instance where their keeper dropped the ball in the first half and was in the world of trouble as we got possession with him on the deck back that was given as a foul that probably shouldn't.

And there was the instance where Wyke tapped in Langs pull back, which if i remember correctly was disallowed for a foul that was very soft.

I think the officials got everything wrong, but if they got everything right all 3 goals wouldn't have been given, but we may have had another couple that the ref didn't allow.

Looking at back at the highlights i thought Keanes 2nd was onside. He just steps up as the ball was played,

Late in the 1st half i thought we should have had a penalty.
I can't remember the exact run of play but the ball was played into their area and the goalie dropped it. Keane got onto it but with his back to goal facing the West Stand as he got the ball under control and tried to turn their goalie dived at his feet and brought him down. The ref gave a foul in favour of the goalie.
Did anyone else see it?
 
Looking at back at the highlights i thought Keanes 2nd was onside. He just steps up as the ball was played,

Late in the 1st half i thought we should have had a penalty.
I can't remember the exact run of play but the ball was played into their area and the goalie dropped it. Keane got onto it but with his back to goal facing the West Stand as he got the ball under control and tried to turn their goalie dived at his feet and brought him down. The ref gave a foul in favour of the goalie.
Did anyone else see it?

Yep i remember that and thought the same, some guy in front of us actually shouted "PENALTY REF"

Ive seen some bad officials over the years but that ref and west side liner were the worst ive ever seen, they'll take some beating!