Back from the game - Barnsley

[Royal Lady]

Do you know, I felt really sad hearing "Brendan Rodgers' Barmy Army" and I couldn't bring myself to sing it - to me it will always be Steve Coppell's Barmy Army, even though I know it's been every manager under the sun's song at some time or another here.

I miss Coppell more than I thought I would and I miss our old team, even miss seeing SHunt running around like a headless chicken and not getting anywhere.

[southsideroyal]

Rogers has made the team a little too young and inexperienced IMO. I'd like to see Harper and Ingimarsson (once fit) be fixtures in the first team just to add stability.

[Vision]

Are you serious?

He's managing a team that has seen 7 first teamers go to be replaced by five reserves, one weak loan signing and one unfit purchase.

ANY new manager deserves at least 15 games, but in thse circumstances no one could get results from this squad and he deserves far longer. Individually most of these players are not ready at this level and collectively they are a million miles off. However bad we were at the end of last season, each game is a growing vindication of Coppell's decision not to blood these youngsters in a promotion run in, they are hopelessly out of their depth.

Agreed Schards, it was obvious to anyone who'd really seen a bit of the kids that they wouldn't be capable of carrying us this season without some quality around them. We don't have that quality and experience alongside them and they're all looking a bit out of their depth. It's worrying that we've taken so long to address the weaknesses in the squad, but Rodgers still needs time and support to build his squad.

To be honest, despite the sales, there is still experience within the squad. Unfortunately so far due to various reasons be it injury,fitness or Rodgers not selecting them, its not manifested itself in the 1st team.

The quality issue Is a seperate one I think and the major problem is at the business end of the field. The defence, midfield and keeper are good enough to be comfortable at this level (if not necessarily top-end) but its where Rodgers' system demands some guile and creativity that we're struggling. Not one out of Kebe, Robson-Kanu, Church or Henry has shown they are capable of playing how Rodgers wants. I'm convinced that both Hunt and Long can score at this level but unless the wider positions start functioning then its going to be a struggle.

Rodgers maintained himself right from the start that he wanted to add 3 or 4 of his own players to the set-up. Bertrand & Mills are here. Smith would have made 3 and we're told there is something else lined up. I'm sure everyone was more than aware of potential weaknesses but once again we have made the bold decision this season that we are going to give our youngsters the chance to prove if they have what it takes first.

Frankly I'd be more upset if people at the club suddenly lost their nerve now with barely a month gone.

[Hoop Blah]

Agreed Vision.

Personally I'd have Harper, Matejovsky and Hunt in the starting eleven as and wheh they're fit. Hunt and Matejovksy aren't quite the experienced Pro's we might need, but they're at least a bit more battle hardened and street wise than the kids.

Like you say, it's the the creative wide berths where we really need to step up and I really don't think it helps when Rodgers is playing wingers on the opposite flanks. We've not seen any real decent delivery into the box because none of our wingers are comfortable going outside their man and getting to the byline. We're not stretching or turning defences and that's making it much easier for opposition defences to keep us at bay.

Without threatening to score it puts so much more pressure on the defensive players and makes it all the more likely we'll make a slip up under pressure.

I must admit I've been more than a little surprised at some of Rodgers selection for those attacking positions.

[Dirk Gently]

I would have said that, but Harper seems to be having real problems at the moment. I don't know if it's Wolves specualtions unsettling him, or if it's difficulty settling into the new style of play, but he seesm a real liability (sadly, as I've always been a fan of his.)

Several times at Swansea he was caught in possession, as well as for the deciding goal yesterday.

[ZacNaloen]

Rodgers is guilty of too much change too quickly, tactically.

There was no reason we couldn't have started to the season playing a more passing 4-4-2 with wide players crossing the ball in, slowly bringing in the tactics that woul results in the ultimate change in style that Rodgers wants to see.

The change to the formation last night and against swansea suggests to me he's beginning to recognise that.

[Hoop Blah]

I would have said that, but Harper seems to be having real problems at the moment. I don't know if it's Wolves specualtions unsettling him, or if it's difficulty settling into the new style of play, but he seesm a real liability (sadly, as I've always been a fan of his.)

Several times at Swansea he was caught in possession, as well as for the deciding goal yesterday.

Obviously he has to be in there on merit too, and I think some of his poor form will be down to not being match fit and possibly not feeling wanted in the same way as he was before.

I'd guess he's a bit of a fragile character to be honest, and I'm not sure Rodgers handling of him (in public at least) will have made Harper feel the most settled and in the best frame of mind to perform. Confidence and the mental side of the game play such a massive part in getting the best out of some players.

[winchester_royal]

LOL @ anyone saying Harper should be a fixture in the first team.

LOLiabiLOLity.

[Sarah Star]

LOL @ anyone saying Harper should be a fixture in the first team.

LOLiabiLOLity.

It just goes to show how little choice we really have in whether to play the youngsters.

[FiNeRaIn]

LOL @ anyone saying Harper should be a fixture in the first team.

LOLiabiLOLity.

Righto. Our most proven midfielder- attracting interest from premiership sides-- or one of the worst players at the club Cisse

[Tony Le Mesmer]

One good thing to come out of last night is the BR must have noticed that Julian Kelly has no place on a football pitch.

Seen him half a dozen times now, the guy is simply awful.

My original thoughts after i first saw him was that he was Conference standard at best. I obviously overestimted the lad.

Not the worst performance on the night though, at least Kelly has the excuse of having no ability. James Harper put in a rancid performance.

[Royalee]

Hamer: 6 - No chance with either goal, looked fairly solid otherwise.
Kelly: 4 - Nowhere near fit
Pearce: 6 - Not one of his better games but never a penalty in a million years
Gunnarsson: 5 - Cannot play at centre back any more and was too slow to react several times
Bertrand: 6 - Decent as normal before he came off
Harper: 3 - Shambolic, gave the ball away 5 or 6 times off the top of my head, went completely missing when his man C-R ran through the middle for the first goal, missed his tackle for the second and may has well have been one of those free kick dummies (at least they don't wave to get on people's nerves and run out of the way though).
Matejovsky: 7 - Head and shoulders above the rest, put Bignall and Mooney through in the first half where both should have done better and Mooney should have scored, all our decent play went through him and he only gave the ball away twice all game.
Davies: 5 - Not one of his better nights, did nothing apart from his bursting run second half where he was chopped down.
Henry: 4 - All flicks and mouth but no end product.
Bignall: 6 - Looked lively but lacked the final touch
Mooney: 5 - Looked pretty poor against a weak side.

Tabb: 6 - Solid when he came on
Antonio: 5 - Looked nervous and Kebe-like but showed a bit more promise near the end.
N Hunt: 6 - Was lively and changed the game to some extent when he came on as we had more cutting edge.

Overall a crap game but I wasn't expecting anything. Barnsley were absolutely awful though given that was pretty much their first choice team and if we don't beat them on Saturday then we need shooting.

[LWJ]

We were shiiite. What is the point in trying to buy an attacking player when our defence was a shamble. Pearce as captain? No thanks. Henry is selfish and upsetting to see that he is a product of our academy. Bignall looked like he was out of postion but still tried his best. MOTM. Mooney was to slow in getting his shot away. The stewards had the worst performance of the night. Telling a man on his mobile 20 mins before the match started to sit down. Looks like we can look forward to the delights of swindon.. leeds.. southampton next year.

[It Is What It Is]

We were shiiite. What is the point in trying to buy an attacking player when our defence was a shamble. Pearce as captain? No thanks. Henry is selfish and upsetting to see that he is a product of our academy. Bignall looked like he was out of postion but still tried his best. MOTM. Mooney was to slow in getting his shot away. The stewards had the worst performance of the night. Telling a man on his mobile 20 mins before the match started to sit down. Looks like we can look forward to the delights of swindon.. leeds.. southampton next year.

It wasnt the evil, short bitch who normally rolls around Y23-25 was it?

[sandman]

We were shiiite. What is the point in trying to buy an attacking player when our defence was a shamble. Pearce as captain? No thanks. Henry is selfish and upsetting to see that he is a product of our academy. Bignall looked like he was out of postion but still tried his best. MOTM. Mooney was to slow in getting his shot away. The stewards had the worst performance of the night. Telling a man on his mobile 20 mins before the match started to sit down. Looks like we can look forward to the delights of swindon.. leeds.. southampton next year.

It's hardly upsetting that Henry is a product of the academy. You might not think he's very good but I wouldn't go crying about it.

[Compo's Hat]

Some of these youngsters are being asked to do too much too soon.

It's a big step up from academy/reserve football to the competitive first team matches but also playing in alien positions when they've been playing 4-4-2 for most of their young careers is damn right crazy!

[working class hero]

Thank goodness BR said he was taking the Cup competitions seriously

[seahawk10]

I miss Coppell more than I thought I would and I miss our old team, even miss seeing SHunt running around like a headless chicken and not getting anywhere.

I am about the same. I wonder if it would have been possible to convince Doyle/Hunt/Bikey and the rest to stay one more year. Once Doyle left it seemed to set off a domino effect but maybe that was inevitable to begin with. If it was just a matter of money it is a shame that we could not have kept the team together for one more go at the prem.

And Rodgers deserves the entire season to test his mettle. This is no time to panic, I can't see SJM making a move until the off-season at the earliest.

[leon]

Some of these youngsters are being asked to do too much too soon.

It's a big step up from academy/reserve football to the competitive first team matches but also playing in alien positions when they've been playing 4-4-2 for most of their young careers is damn right crazy!

Yes and that's the manager's fault. If we persist using this formation with the current squad we will struggle massively.

[Ian Royal]

Some of these youngsters are being asked to do too much too soon.

It's a big step up from academy/reserve football to the competitive first team matches but also playing in alien positions when they've been playing 4-4-2 for most of their young careers is damn right crazy!

Yes and that's the manager's fault. If we persist using this formation with the current squad we will struggle massively.

He's also been playing one of the more experienced younger players out of position whenever he does get a game. James Henry - Winger, please play as an attacking central midfielder.

And then of course there's the playing wide players on the wrong flank...