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KirkcaldyRover · Joined: 16 Apr 2014 Posts: 174 Location: Kirkcaldy

Rarely have I watched a performance as inept as what I witnessed tonight from the Rovers. That was shockingly bad. No-one gets pass marks tonight. Did we have a shot on goal, I think there was a late header straight into the keepers arms. Did Poplatnik get into their box during the game? Not blaming him, he was getting no service so had to constantly come short in order to get the ball. How many times did Rovers players just kick and run or head the ball anywhere, when they had time to get the ball down. Even then we couldn't find a man with a pass anyway. And what's this nonsense about playing the ball out from the back. Its fine if you're Barcelona but in the Scottish Championship you have an opposition player in your face as soon as you touch the ball. The number of turnovers we gave away from playing out from the back was shocking. When the keeper, who was awful, did kick the ball out then we at least had a chance at getting it back and if we didn't then at least the ball is in their half and not on our 18 yard line. The icing on the cake was McGlynns interview after the game, "I didn't think there was much in it". What game were you watching? I understand you don't want to slaughter the players in public but don't just stand there and flannel the fans. We were crap, so at least have the decency to say so and tell us you'll have to sort it out for Saturday.

Absolutely raging after that performance. Whole squad needs a freshen up and the management team needs new ideas.

Valleyboy · Joined: 27 Apr 2014 Posts: 396

Agree with all of the above, apart from the ‘rarely have I watched’ part.

CALDERON · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 1714 Location: Aberdeenshire

My fear going into this game was that too much would be made of the cup final and the injuries, and that they would be used as mitigation for a poor performance. So it transpired.

Whilst things were far from ideal, you play to your strengths. Those strengths don't involve playing a passing game across a makeshift backline, or playing one up front. An astounding way to approach a game where it was plainly obvious how Dunfermline would approach it.

Sunday was great and all that, but should have acted as a springboard for the rest of the season. Was fed up hearing it referenced after the game on the radio (in between a frankly farcical interview from the manager)

I'm as big a Mcglynn fan as they come, but if he is to be manager next year then thr club would have to actively offer a contract extension to a management team who have overseen 1 win in 15. I'm not sure that sits really well.

embow · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2022 9:26 am Post subject:

Just getting to the table now due to a number of circumstances beyond my control, not the least being a power cut due to torrential rain and 40mph and above winds last night. The lights went out literally for me around 8pm. The phone had been left in the house to get charged up when visiting friends and oot went the lights.
Anyway it seems as if it was really bad last night and a lot of criticism is due across the whole team.
Just when you thought things were starting to get on the up after Sunday this massive let down comes along. It's the Rover's way. It shouldn't be but, it is and, has been through the generations.
Playoffs all but gone even if by some miracle we were to win the remaining games. It just needs Partick to match our results, irrespective of win, lose or draw, if that's the outcome when we meet.
Totally scunnered with the last 12-14 hours.☹️

ETA Just read Calderon's post and totally agree with every word.👍
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Armagh Rover · Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 5556 Location: Nottinghamshire

We've amassed a total of 10 points since the win at Killie on the 11th Dec, this cannot be allowed to continue into next season or we're going down. Its time to go John

Castle · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 4773

Zero pace up front, it's the problem that has plagued us all season. For as good as Pop has been recently he was woeful last night. He just can't operate as an isolated front man and his complete lack of any pace at all means he needs someone nearby to lay the ball off to. This is just my opinion so feel free to discount but when we play the passing game across the back that invites the forward half of our opponents to press forward. Now that's good because that is what you want them to do because they should then be leaving a big gap between their midfield and their back line which if can beat their press we can exploit that space. The problem is we have no pace at all upfront so their back line feels confident enough to push further forward and narrow that gap. If we had someone speedy up top we would then have the option of a long ball over their defence and that would then force their back line to sit maybe 15 yards further back in turn leaving more space in the midfield. As it is we play with Varian and/or Pop upfront.
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Heilan Rover · Joined: 24 Dec 2018 Posts: 482 Location: Lorient

I watched the game last night from the live stream on PARS TV. I was less than happy with Spencer losing the ball for Dunfermline's first goal, and I agree with John's comments that he was indeed "Rusty".

This morning however, I watched the highlights on RAITH TV, and their camera crew were on the opposite side of the pitch. When you see the Spencer incident from the opposite angle, he is clearly held back by the Dunfermline player as he tried to chase after the ball he just lost as it travelled toward the eventual goal scorer. Now whether or not he could have caught either the ball or the goal scorer, we will never know.

However, a foul is a foul, and it should have been given. I keep hearing commentators praising the Referees for allowing the game to flow. If that is what we want, then what is the point of the game having rules at all when individual referees are allowed to interpret fouls differently? Surely a man being physically held back from chasing a ball cannot be seen as anything other than a foul? Or is playing by the rules something else that is now old fashioned and cast back to a different time?

It seems now winning at any cost is the name of the game, and that saddens me even more than last nights lack of performance and defeat.

P.S. John, make sure you get some WD40 and get it well rubbed into Spencer for Saturday!

Northern_Rover · Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Posts: 2666 Location: Granite City

Spencer should have been nowhere near that starting 11 last night. He has not been deemed suitable for even a 10 minute run out in any of his latest sub appearances and yet he is straight in against the Pars. Terrible selection choice from the manager.

I didn't actually blame him for the goal. It was more a product of Benes laboured ball across the back to Mackay who then threw Spencer under a bus with a ridiculous ball against a team who were closing and pressing everything up til then.

KirkcaldyRover · Joined: 16 Apr 2014 Posts: 174 Location: Kirkcaldy

CALDERON · Joined: 14 Jul 2008 Posts: 1714 Location: Aberdeenshire

Watched the key moments again on the full match replay on Raith TV. Interesting to hear the commentator moaning at fans leaving (some irony there) at 2-0, 3 days after a cup win, as if that is some kind of mitigation for what has been a wholly unacceptable 2nd half of the season.

Exactly what I feared would happen after the final. That it would be used as some kind of way to paper over the cracks, rather than as an impetus to kick on. Listened to Mcglynns sportsound interview when coming into the ground and was fed up hearing about the proximity to the final or the injury situation. Last night was a disaster in terms of tactics, taking everything else as an aside.

This is relegation form. We need to have a clear picture on the route forward as soon as possible, as there needs to be a considerable momentum change from somewhere.

Raith2020 · Joined: 02 Jul 2021 Posts: 117

Vinnie · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2022 4:57 pm Post subject:

Bang on the money
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Cuparman · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 1607 Location: Irvine

red zebra · Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2022 6:01 pm Post subject:

Perhaps why there has been nothing re new contracts for the management team, perhaps a mass clear out in the summer of staff and players?
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WillieKirk · Joined: 08 Feb 2014 Posts: 1777 Location: Portobello

The chant at the final was very supportive of John McGlynn. Is the majority of the support wrong? I know not all were chanting but that would be unusual to be of one voice.

If they were to be replaced who would be available. Laurie Ellis anyone?
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