Is it perhaps time (maybe not for Rovers, too big an occasion) to consider starting CJ? He’s looked really quite composed and promising in his few cameos so far, and is a big, tall strong unit. Just wondering if we perhaps have the solution in our midst already to our lack of physicality and height in the centre of defence.

We've lost one game in god knows how long, now everyone wants to completely rip up the entire team and system that has taken us to top of the division. I think you need to relax, take a deep breathe, look at the league table and support/appreciate the group of players who have taken us there, whilst trusting the management team to make the right decisions.

KRBFC wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:31 pm

We've lost one game in god knows how long, now everyone wants to completely rip up the entire team and system that has taken us to top of the division. I think you need to relax, take a deep breathe, look at the league table and support/appreciate the group of players who have taken us there, whilst trusting the management team to make the right decisions.

I don’t want to rip the entire team up at all! Its just a suggestion as he’s looked good in his sub appearances and the Beyer/THB partnership has looked a bit wobbly in the last few (THB ball watching against Reading, Beyer backing off against Rotherham for their second etc) discounting todays problems.

I get the feeling we’ll be fine but I still believe that in this world we’ve got to find some time for the Egan-Riley.

Hibsclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:39 pm

I get the feeling we’ll be fine but I still believe that in this world we’ve got to find some time for the Egan-Riley.

Worth playing for this to be sung tbh.

Is Egan Riley tall? Looks pretty short to me.

Hibsclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:39 pm

I get the feeling we’ll be fine but I still believe that in this world we’ve got to find some time for the Egan-Riley.

Hello hurray, what a nice day for the Egan Riley Egan Riley

jedi_master wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:20 pm

Is it perhaps time (maybe not for Rovers, too big an occasion) to consider starting CJ? He’s looked really quite composed and promising in his few cameos so far, and is a big, tall strong unit. Just wondering if we perhaps have the solution in our midst already to our lack of physicality and height in the centre of defence.

Don't know what you mean by 'too big an occasion'. I thought it was our next league game in a season that so far sees us top of the table. There are just three points available for this game as is the case with all of the others. There is no 'occasion' for the players; if chosen they play, if not they have a watching brief. But players cannot be included/ excluded because media hype puts a label on a game of football.

Silkyskills1 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 9:54 pm

Don't know what you mean by 'too big an occasion'. I thought it was our next league game in a season that so far sees us top of the table. There are just three points available for this game as is the case with all of the others. There is no 'occasion' for the players; if chosen they play, if not they have a watching brief. But players cannot be included/ excluded because media hype puts a label on a game of football.

Just think it’s a very hostile atmosphere for a 19 year old to make his first ever start in. My intention was to say CJ might be someone we can look to give more chances to if deficiencies in defence become more pronounced after the WC break, as he seems to be the next choice of VK’s at CB (well, after Taylor I guess).

To the above r.e his height, i felt he looked quite a unit when he came on recently. Perhaps more physically imposing than tall though, granted.

KRBFC wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:31 pm

We've lost one game in god knows how long, now everyone wants to completely rip up the entire team and system that has taken us to top of the division. I think you need to relax, take a deep breathe, look at the league table and support/appreciate the group of players who have taken us there, whilst trusting the management team to make the right decisions.

I’m starting to like you

The Beyer/THB partnership is the only positive thing about our defending and you want to change it. We have two full backs who dont know how to defend. Suggest Taylor goes to eft back, Roberts starts (at least he makes a challenge), and either introduce Egan Riley to defensive midfield (instead of Bastian /JBG) or bring him on when we want to manage a lead

jedi_master wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 9:59 pm

Just think it’s a very hostile atmosphere for a 19 year old to make his first ever start in. My intention was to say CJ might be someone we can look to give more chances to if deficiencies in defence become more pronounced after the WC break, as he seems to be the next choice of VK’s at CB (well, after Taylor I guess).

To the above r.e his height, i felt he looked quite a unit when he came on recently. Perhaps more physically imposing than tall though, granted.

If the manager thinks he's ready to play it doesn't( or shouldn't) matter on the fixture. Currently still top of the league so everyone wants to have 'a pop' at us. A good week on the training ground should help because the latest run of fixtures has been very demanding( same for everyone, I know) with this latest fixture not allowing our players enough time to recover. That's not an excuse but just a reason behind our poor showing in the second half.

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 10:04 pm

I’m starting to like you

In VK I trust, I expect bumps in the road, I expect us to have teething issues and weaknesses to work on, everyone is so shocked we're weak at defending set pieces with a young completely new back 5, I'm not surprised 1 bit, it's gonna take time.

The way I see it, young players have to make mistakes to learn from, it's part of development. I don't see the benefit to coming on a messageboard and hammering a young player for a dodgy performance when in the main the collective group has been excellent. Tweak by tweak, we'll get stronger and stronger.

I’d give them all Wednesday off.

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 10:04 pm

I’m starting to like you

Are you taking the ****?

jedi_master wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:20 pm

Is it perhaps time (maybe not for Rovers, too big an occasion) to consider starting CJ? He’s looked really quite composed and promising in his few cameos so far, and is a big, tall strong unit. Just wondering if we perhaps have the solution in our midst already to our lack of physicality and height in the centre of defence.

Egan-Riley is 6'0", Harwood-Bellis and Beyer are each 6'2".

we have one of if not the best defender from League One who is 6ft 4, could have been very useful today

A back 4 of lowton long McNally Taylor wouldn't have capitulated like that.

claretandy wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 06, 2022 6:13 am

A back 4 of lowton long McNally Taylor wouldn't have capitulated like that.

But we would struggle to play how we like to play now, and we wouldn’t have scored in a month of Sundays, it’s all about balance and we could have used one or two of those to shore it up a bit.

Learning curve

claretandy wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 06, 2022 6:13 am

A back 4 of lowton long McNally Taylor wouldn't have capitulated like that.

I’d hazard a guess that this back line wouldn’t see us sitting top of the league.

Steve-Harpers-perm wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 06, 2022 8:54 am

I’d hazard a guess that this back line wouldn’t see us sitting top of the league.

I don't think I said that they should play every week.

claretandy wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 06, 2022 6:13 am

A back 4 of lowton long McNally Taylor wouldn't have capitulated like that.

I think there was a very strong case that Taylor and Roberts should have started at full back for their height and experience knowing how Sheffield United play.

The reason Roberts and Vitinho play before Lowton is clearly their ability to get up and down the pitch so there is no way VK is going change this aspect of his tactics as it’s fundamental to our whole style of play.

I am not sure why you or anyone would feel that McNally would have coped better yesterday. How many times have you seen him play ? He may have done ok for an average league one side but that’s a very big leap in assumption to think he would do well against a side full of recent Premier League experience.

DCWat wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 9:39 pm

Is Egan Riley tall? Looks pretty short to me.

6ft exactly

Dodobdobodobo wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:35 am

6ft exactly

Not been on here because i knew everyone would be panicking over one bad 45 minutes.

To my amazement KRBFC is talking the most sense and being the most level headed. Fair play.

DCWat wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 05, 2022 9:39 pm

Is Egan Riley tall? Looks pretty short to me.

6ft according to Wikipedia

THB 6ft2
Charlie Taylor 5ft9
Beyer 6ft2
Lowton 5ft11
Roberts 5ft9
Vitinho 5ft9
Maatsen 5ft6
Cork 6ft
Cullen 5ft9
Bastien 5ft8
Brownhill 5ft11

No way is Charlie only 5’9” no matter what Wiki says.

Roosterbooster wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 07, 2022 10:16 am

6ft according to Wikipedia

THB 6ft2
Charlie Taylor 5ft9
Beyer 6ft2
Lowton 5ft11
Roberts 5ft9
Vitinho 5ft9
Maatsen 5ft6
Cork 6ft
Cullen 5ft9
Bastien 5ft8
Brownhill 5ft11

Those are way off, Cullen isn't bigger than Bastien and Taylor is over 6ft.

Don't shoot the messenger, just quoting the sauce

I agree some are a bit off. I thought Taylor was almost 6ft

I think tomorrow night is the ideal game for VK to give Egan Riley a game-I would play him at RB, and for one reason. Roberts is the obvious starter for the Rovers game, but he will have the WC on his mind. Saturday I saw the "most obvious pull out" by Roberts on a tackle and THB bellowed at him. Sadly much as I like Roberts he does have a tendancy to pull out or look demotivated. It could help VK to decide the back four , but after seeing Maatsen and Vitinho defend in recent weeks, for me the best defensive back four might be ER/THB/Beyer/Taylor

For tomorrow I would also play McNally & Long together, just to see what they can offer. If nothing else this pair should be quite dominant aerially. With suspensions, injuries and lack of form and Winter coming with a congested schedule from December you never know when you will need fringe players. It also might allow VK to determine who we could let go in January

I would play an entire second string tomorrow. What our players need more than anything is a decent rest. It was fatigue, mental and physical, that really did for us on Saturday.

claretandy wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 06, 2022 6:13 am

A back 4 of lowton long McNally Taylor wouldn't have capitulated like that.

I'd put THB in instead of McNally - maybe. I'd certainly play him.

claretandy wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 06, 2022 6:13 am

A back 4 of lowton long McNally Taylor wouldn't have capitulated like that.

Correct,

We'd have been losing much earlier

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 06, 2022 1:48 am

we have one of if not the best defender from League One who is 6ft 4, could have been very useful today

No kidding!......He's tough looking too.
I still think Lowton is wasted, he's easily our best right back (defensively).