Cheltenham Town v Bristol Rovers

[robinsrule]

DC needs to stay, it’s not his fault we are where we are. He has absolutely nothing to work with. You can’t give the other teams an 11 game head start.

Port Vale losing just delays the agony and if we swap places with them we are both going down anyway. The only team we can catch now is Burton so anything other than a win on Tuesday and it’s curtains. And does anybody here think we are going to win there?

[Basildon Robin]

Why not play Sercombe as a striker? He is the only player in the team apart from Taylor who knows where the goal is. And he is the one player we should try and keep for next season. Clarke doesn’t know his best team, his best formation and looks shorn of ideas and inspiration. If we start League 2 badly next season he’ll be gone and that’s a cert.

[Robin]

Can anyone explain to me why our left wing back spent so much time first half almost as an advanced right winger completely on his own? Also please explain why Kinsella drifted between playing left wing back and central midfield leaving huge space for the opposition as he went. Equally why Brizzle just had to hit the ball long into the channels and our defence is all at sea. Acres of space between Long and Smith and Shepherd spent most of the first half all alone.

[Alf]

Darrell Clarke is a good manager with a good track record. You could take the best manager in the World and put them in charge of our lot and they would struggle to get a win. We have too many players who are just not League One quality. A Manager can only do so much, they’re not miracle workers.

[Garby74]

I think one of the Nests sub menu sums it up quite nicely.
Non Footy (our season) ...Jokes (most officials at WR)...Etc (Soloum words from DC after the match)

I came to terms with it on Tuesday.

I must admit it made today more bearable.

[art vandalay]

The only team we can catch now is Burton so anything other than a win on Tuesday and it’s curtains. And does anybody here think we are going to win there?

No. I genuinely believe we’ll lose all four remaining games and finish second bottom.

[slinky_dog]

Disappointing day. Looking for positives. There weren’t many….

Sercombe was outstanding in the very few minutes he was on. Was surprised he didn’t start. He will be a key player next year.

Matty Taylor is back and still knows where the goal is

At least Southwood wasn’t sent off for the penalty. He must have been the last man. That would have seen him missing Burton.

Port Vale let a 2 goal lead slip. (Pity 10-man Stevenage slipped up against Burton)

FGR won’t be waiting for us in League 2

[Si Robin]

Southwood made a legitimate attempt to go for the ball so couldn't be sent off - there's no double jeopardy anymore.

[Jerry St Clair]

At least Southwood wasn’t sent off for the penalty. He must have been the last man. That would have seen him missing Burton.

He’s broken a toe so may well miss Burton anyway.

Could we recall Harris from WSM?

[Malabus]

I witnessed a football team already dead today.

[Ralph]

This is Darryl Clarke’s abject team. He hasn’t convinced me he is the right man to get us back on track in League Two. Does Steve Cotterill want to be a non league manager? Maybe he could be persuaded to return?

He had an opportunity to come back before DC was taken on but he turned us down for the extra cash on offer at FGR. No point asking again

[Ihearye]

This is Darryl Clarke’s abject team. He hasn’t convinced me he is the right man to get us back on track in League Two. Does Steve Cotterill want to be a non league manager? Maybe he could be persuaded to return?

He had an opportunity to come back before DC was taken on but he turned us down for the extra cash on offer at FGR. No point asking again

As I said before, we had the best of SC. He has improved the results of FGR, but not the team. He hasn't had the chance to build his own team, but when he speaks he sounds and looks like a broken man as far as football management is concerned. I wouldn't want him back, as I don't think he has a lot to offer.
Sacrilege, I know

[robinsrule]

I’m with you when it comes to Cotterill - his best days are way behind him. I regard him like a lower-league Mourinho but the players aren’t listening any more. He has done quite well with certain teams recently but nothing to suggest that he would be able to get us promoted next season.

[vickeryc]

Darrell Clarke is the reason we weren't relegated weeks ago. We have the smallest budget in L1 and, I believe, the smallest squad. To compound this, we have walking wounded and simply don't have the cover and strength in depth enjoyed by other clubs in this league.

DC has taken his share of any blame for recent shortcomings in team selections and tactics (even though the best manager in the world would have struggled with the resources at his disposal). Give the guy a break!

As for players not trying, that is absurd (with the exception of Nuttall who much of the time does not track the opposition and marks fresh air). Some of the comments about players' supposed lack of effort or passion is little short of despicable. Lloyd, for example, has been carrying an injury for weeks, yet he's so critical to the team he's still had to be played and managed accordingly. No one could fault George's commitment to the cause, or effort.

I get the frustration, but a lot of moaners (so-called fans) on here really need to take a reality check. Despite their alleged wisdom, the manager knows infinitely more and always gives an honest, realistic, and fair assessment of his and the team's performance.

It has always been an uphill task for this club to compete against others who have more resources than us. We all know, deep down, CTFC has to punch well above its weight just to survive in this league.

[Si Robin]

Despite what some will have you believe, we'll have one of the lowest budgets next season regardless of what division we're in.

The club is skint and has no facility to make money outside of football itself. Staying in League One every season is a miracle.

[vickeryc]

Despite what some will have you believe, we'll have one of the lowest budgets next season regardless of what division we're in.

The club is skint and has no facility to make money outside of football itself. Staying in League One every season is a miracle.

Agreed

[longmover]

there’s certainly a stench of ‘Elliot’s last days’ around the club at the moment.

in every aspect.

[vickeryc]

there’s certainly a stench of ‘Elliot’s last days’ around the club at the moment.

in every aspect.

Please could you elaborate...

[asl]

The Facebook boys are saying things like "we're sleepwalking into relegation" and "this is the worst team I've ever seen" - i must admit, I thought I'd fallen into a wormhole and ended up 14 months in the past when I read those two gems, yesterday

[vickeryc]

The Facebook boys are saying things like "we're sleepwalking into relegation" and "this is the worst team I've ever seen" - i must admit, I thought I'd fallen into a wormhole and ended up 14 months in the past when I read those two gems, yesterday

Yep, the fickleness and ignorance of some 'fans' is mind-boggling ain't it! Maybe it's wind-up but, whatever, such comments betray a total lack of understanding and context.

[Ihearye]

Darrell Clarke is the reason we weren't relegated weeks ago. We have the smallest budget in L1 and, I believe, the smallest squad. To compound this, we have walking wounded and simply don't have the cover and strength in depth enjoyed by other clubs in this league.

DC has taken his share of any blame for recent shortcomings in team selections and tactics (even though the best manager in the world would have struggled with the resources at his disposal). Give the guy a break!

As for players not trying, that is absurd (with the exception of Nuttall who much of the time does not track the opposition and marks fresh air). Some of the comments about players' supposed lack of effort or passion is little short of despicable. Lloyd, for example, has been carrying an injury for weeks, yet he's so critical to the team he's still had to be played and managed accordingly. No one could fault George's commitment to the cause, or effort.

I get the frustration, but a lot of moaners (so-called fans) on here really need to take a reality check. Despite their alleged wisdom, the manager knows infinitely more and always gives an honest, realistic, and fair assessment of his and the team's performance.

It has always been an uphill task for this club to compete against others who have more resources than us. We all know, deep down, CTFC has to punch well above its weight just to survive in this league.

The truth is simple, as DC says, we do not have league one players. Your defence of Lloyd is admirable, however there is no hiding the fact that you can count the number of goals he has scored on two fingers, not that he is alone in that, as only one finger is needed for AK. Their place in the squad must be in question for next season. As it is for other players. If DC does not believe they are L1 players then surely he must get rid if we stay up. If not then the question is, does he think they are L2 players?

[vickeryc]

Lloyd's value to the team is his energy, chasing, tenacity, winning the ball, and setting up goalscoring chances. I agree, it would be great if he also scored a few goals as well, though I suspect if he did, we would struggle to hold on to him! Therein lies the frustration of supporting a club like Cheltenham! We're defo not in it for the glory-hunting

[Ihearye]

Lloyd's value to the team is his energy, chasing, tenacity, winning the ball, and setting up goalscoring chances. I agree, it would be great if he also scored a few goals as well, though I suspect if he did, we would struggle to hold on to him! Therein lies the frustration of supporting a club like Cheltenham! We're defo not in it for the glory-hunting

Indeed it is not a glamorous hobby. Sadly his chasing etc more often than not has no end product on any front

[vickeryc]

So, would you not play Lloyd? Who would you replace him with?

[longmover]

there’s certainly a stench of ‘Elliot’s last days’ around the club at the moment.

in every aspect.

Please could you elaborate...

total disarray on the pitch until the dying embers of the game then we put it together, too little too late.

[Ihearye]

So, would you not play Lloyd? Who would you replace him with?

I was in fact supporting your case that there is no point in getting on the players backs as it seems to be purely the case that they are not good enough for who we are playing against. As far as GL is concerned, he opinion I was putting forward was just that he runs around as much as my Springer spaniel does not mean he is effective. He scores very few and creates very few. As far as replacing him goes, I did point out that his fellow striker has a worse record. So saying he can't be replaced is not the greatest compliment a forward ever had.
You could ask the same question about quite a few on the pitch at any one time
I mentioned yesterday that we may as well put Shepherd up top as I think he would be just as effective as a few of our target front men

[Si Robin]

Amazingly, in a team that conceded three goals, I thought Shepherd was one of the bright lights yesterday.

[vickeryc]

So, would you not play Lloyd? Who would you replace him with?

I was in fact supporting your case that there is no point in getting on the players backs as it seems to be purely the case that they are not good enough for who we are playing against. As far as GL is concerned, he opinion I was putting forward was just that he runs around as much as my Springer spaniel does not mean he is effective. He scores very few and creates very few. As far as replacing him goes, I did point out that his fellow striker has a worse record. So saying he can't be replaced is not the greatest compliment a forward ever had.
You could ask the same question about quite a few on the pitch at any one time
I mentioned yesterday that we may as well put Shepherd up top as I think he would be just as effective as a few of our target front men

It's interesting that many are now saying the players aren't good enough, yet the same players were good enough to beat the likes of Oxford, Blackpool and champions-elect Portsmouth not so long ago.

I think it is less to do with player quality than lack of cover and strength in depth. It is at this sharp end of the season, with two fixtures a week, that the smaller squads get stretched most. Injuries have been mounting up and players like Lloyd and Ferry are having to manfully soldier on with niggles. You're right that any self-respecting fans should recognise the situation and not get on the players' backs.

I disagree with your point about Lloyd's effectivess though. He does break up the oppositions' play as much, if not more, than anyone else. He also, along with Long, has the most assists to his name.

[Ihearye]

So, would you not play Lloyd? Who would you replace him with?

I was in fact supporting your case that there is no point in getting on the players backs as it seems to be purely the case that they are not good enough for who we are playing against. As far as GL is concerned, he opinion I was putting forward was just that he runs around as much as my Springer spaniel does not mean he is effective. He scores very few and creates very few. As far as replacing him goes, I did point out that his fellow striker has a worse record. So saying he can't be replaced is not the greatest compliment a forward ever had.
You could ask the same question about quite a few on the pitch at any one time
I mentioned yesterday that we may as well put Shepherd up top as I think he would be just as effective as a few of our target front men

It's interesting that many are now saying the players aren't good enough, yet the same players were good enough to beat the likes of Oxford, Blackpool and champions-elect Portsmouth not so long ago.

I think it is less to do with player quality than lack of cover and strength in depth. It is at this sharp end of the season, with two fixtures a week, that the smaller squads get stretched most. Injuries have been mounting up and players like Lloyd and Ferry are having to manfully soldier on with niggles. You're right that any self-respecting fans should recognise the situation and not get on the players' backs.

I disagree with your point about Lloyd's effectivess though. He does break up the oppositions' play as much, if not more, than anyone else. He also, along with Long, has the most assists to his name.

DC is one of those saying they are not good enough and he spends more time with them than any of us. I don't think any CTFC players stats stand up to too much scrutiny. So comparing them is a fruitless exercise

[Ihearye]

Amazingly, in a team that conceded three goals, I thought Shepherd was one of the bright lights yesterday.

He is always making himself available and is happy to get the ball. Has shown that he can take the ball forward and is confident. If we need someone for Taylor (and maybe Keena), to feed off then Shepherd would not be the worst call IMO. That is, when we need to score and are at the sharp end of the game

[Garby74]

Confidence is shot to peices again. That much is clear.

That's why the players revert to hoff ball.

Was interesting when Taylor came on ...he was demanding the ball. Which is what we needed. Players that want the ball show for the ball demand the ball.

Once the game was gone we started playing with no fear. But it was 80 minutes too late.

I think we need to accept L2 and rebuild. Try and keep DC.

I have no doubt in my mind if DC was in from pre season we would have stayed up. No Doubt. I trust his judgement.

Those calling g for SC...have a word with your self!

[Garby74]

Confidence is shot to peices again. That much is clear.

That's why the players revert to hoff ball.

Was interesting when Taylor came on ...he was demanding the ball. Which is what we needed. Players that want the ball show for the ball demand the ball.

Once the game was gone we started playing with no fear. But it was 80 minutes too late.

I think we need to accept L2 and rebuild. Try and keep DC.

I have no doubt in my mind if DC was in from pre season we would have stayed up. No Doubt. I trust his judgement.

Those calling g for SC...have a word with your self!

[Jerry St Clair]

Despite what some will have you believe, we'll have one of the lowest budgets next season regardless of what division we're in.

The club is skint and has no facility to make money outside of football itself. Staying in League One every season is a miracle.

Worth reminding ourselves that Barry Bannan was on £1.3m last season, which is more than 50% of our entire playing budget.

Yes, he’s a top earner, but no doubt there are plenty, maybe dozens, of players in this division on not much less. That is what we’re up against.

[vickeryc]

Despite what some will have you believe, we'll have one of the lowest budgets next season regardless of what division we're in.

The club is skint and has no facility to make money outside of football itself. Staying in League One every season is a miracle.

Worth reminding ourselves that Barry Bannan was on £1.3m last season, which is more than 50% of our entire playing budget.

Yes, he’s a top earner, but no doubt there are plenty, maybe dozens, of players in this division on not much less. That is what we’re up against.

Quite so. I wish more on this forum would remember that when they're trashing our players

[horlickfanclub]

The Manager mentions the "walking wounded" .Is Sloggett one of them or a misuse of money that we are short of?
Maybe I have missed mention of an injury .
The line up yesterday was baffling. Kinsella in a position to start where he is less effective and then Harrop being put there when he came on having been poor on Tuesday.Not his fault , just not his position. Wooly thinking by the Manager who then had to sub the sub. The team looked poorly set up and Rovers exploited it.