Back from the game: It was better...

[Ryn]

So. How many people are concerned that we played well on Saturday, postively battering Ipshit in the second half, yet still only came away with a draw?

The team is blending well together, now that Mr Rodgers has seen fit to decide on a starting 11 and a proper formation, the lads really seem like they are putting everything into their performances now.

Unfortunately all of that has come together, and we can still only manage a point at home to the bottom of the league side.

The RTGs are chirping again that Rodgers is the man to take us forward and that he will come good, but the truth is that his action plan is now in place and yet we are still facing relegation.

If we are playing well and still not winning, then we will be relegated.

[winchester_royal]

So. How many people are concerned that we played well on Saturday, postively battering Ipshit in the second half, yet still only came away with a draw?

The team is blending well together, now that Mr Rodgers has seen fit to decide on a starting 11 and a proper formation, the lads really seem like they are putting everything into their performances now.

Unfortunately all of that has come together, and we can still only manage a point at home to the bottom of the league side.

The RTGs are chirping again that Rodgers is the man to take us forward and that he will come good, but the truth is that his action plan is now in place and yet we are still facing relegation.

If we are playing well and still not winning, then we will be relegated.

What an unbelievably stupid post. So we'd be less likely to get relegated if we created zilch but scored a few more scrappy goals?

[CMRoyal]

It's becoming accepted on this thread that the goal went in off Church fortuitously. Both the commentator and Claridge didn't give him much credit for it. But I've just rewatched it several times on iPlayer, and I think it's definitely a shot, however instinctive. In which case, I'd say it's an excellent goal by Church, resulting from instinctive reaction.

I thought that from the replays at the stadium, but whether he knew much about it or not, he was there in the right place at the right time.

Exactly. He was in the 6-yard box looking to make a difference. Forget luck, bad or good, the lesson from that goal is that if you keep creating chances and have the balls to get in where you can do some damage then you will earn a bit of fortune at times. How many scrappy, spawny goals get scored at this level? A very high percentage I'd say, so why be so hard on our boys about this one? Church showed the kind of instinct we're going to need to carve out points we supposedly don't deserve (which we didn't at the point he equalised).

[Wycombe Royal]

Good post but could you explain why he 'deserved' the stick he got? He wasn't the greatest player we've had, sure, but I thought he was a perfectly reasonable championship right back and always gave his all.

The reason he got the boos was nothing to do with his footballing abilities, more to do with his mouth.....

[CMRoyal]

Thought the first 45 mins was one of the worst I've seen, however the second 45 was the most exciting of the season, we actually went for it and were unlucky not to win.

You make a very interesting point there RR. If the first half great and the second half poor, the initial reaction is one of disappointment. Whereas, a poor first half follwed by a much improved second half leaves a better taste in the mouth. Reality being that there has been 2 halves of shit and 2 halves of decent stuff.


This explains why so many people are getting carried away by a performance NO BETTER OR WORSE than what we have already seen this season!

Regrettably, I have to report that it does belong in the top half of performances this season. Forest, Doncaster, QPR, Boro, NUFC, WBA, Watford, Swansea, Peterborough were all worse.

[Royal Rother]

So. How many people are concerned that we played well on Saturday, postively battering Ipshit in the second half, yet still only came away with a draw?

The team is blending well together, now that Mr Rodgers has seen fit to decide on a starting 11 and a proper formation, the lads really seem like they are putting everything into their performances now.

Unfortunately all of that has come together, and we can still only manage a point at home to the bottom of the league side.

The RTGs are chirping again that Rodgers is the man to take us forward and that he will come good, but the truth is that his action plan is now in place and yet we are still facing relegation.

If we are playing well and still not winning, then we will be relegated.

What an unbelievably stupid post. So we'd be less likely to get relegated if we created zilch but scored a few more scrappy goals?

Just par for the course for those with a particular mindset I'm afraid. They get stuck in a negative mode and, despite obvious improvements, have to lean towards the negative in their assessments.

We are the opposite of course! (I'm happy being one of us....)

[Ryn]

So. How many people are concerned that we played well on Saturday, postively battering Ipshit in the second half, yet still only came away with a draw?

The team is blending well together, now that Mr Rodgers has seen fit to decide on a starting 11 and a proper formation, the lads really seem like they are putting everything into their performances now.

Unfortunately all of that has come together, and we can still only manage a point at home to the bottom of the league side.

The RTGs are chirping again that Rodgers is the man to take us forward and that he will come good, but the truth is that his action plan is now in place and yet we are still facing relegation.

If we are playing well and still not winning, then we will be relegated.

What an unbelievably stupid post. So we'd be less likely to get relegated if we created zilch but scored a few more scrappy goals?

If we scored a few more scrappy goals we would be mid table and not bottom three.

If you play badly, you can improve. If you play well, there's not a lot you can do.

There is no doubt in my mind that our performances are much improved recently, we are creating much more, but failing to capitalise, and are still wobbly at set pieces.

The team is lacking a killer edge, and Rodgers is not the man to give it to them.

He asks for a little bit of luck or the rub of the green every week, yet when we get it (Church's goal) he still wants more. 16 games in and you make your own luck, and the table so far tells no lies.

[Dorset-Knob]

So. How many people are concerned that we played well on Saturday, postively battering Ipshit in the second half, yet still only came away with a draw?

The team is blending well together, now that Mr Rodgers has seen fit to decide on a starting 11 and a proper formation, the lads really seem like they are putting everything into their performances now.

Unfortunately all of that has come together, and we can still only manage a point at home to the bottom of the league side.

The RTGs are chirping again that Rodgers is the man to take us forward and that he will come good, but the truth is that his action plan is now in place and yet we are still facing relegation.

If we are playing well and still not winning, then we will be relegated.

What an unbelievably stupid post. So we'd be less likely to get relegated if we created zilch but scored a few more scrappy goals?

If we scored a few more scrappy goals we would be mid table and not bottom three.

If you play badly, you can improve. If you play well, there's not a lot you can do.

There is no doubt in my mind that our performances are much improved recently, we are creating much more, but failing to capitalise, and are still wobbly at set pieces.

The team is lacking a killer edge, and Rodgers is not the man to give it to them.

He asks for a little bit of luck or the rub of the green every week, yet when we get it (Church's goal) he still wants more. 16 games in and you make your own luck, and the table so far tells no lies.

I don't agree that this was, "an unbelievably stupid post" I 'm also happy that there has been an improvement, albeit marginal and brought on by pressure on BR to stop experimenting and getting back to basic formations and a more settled team line-up.

But, and moreover we ARE third bottom, we have failed to beat bottom club Ipswich at the Madstad and we lost to the 'Posh in piss-poor fashion!

Taken as a bench-mark we are still very fragile and deep within the relegation mire, admittedly a few wins can change all that, but equally a few more losses and we will be in danger of becoming adrift of the pack.

There is a very clear mental challege to the management and playing staff here and I do wonder if they are up to the task!

[Uke]

table so far tells no lies.

14 Sheff Wed 16 -2 17
15 Sheff Utd 15 -3 17
16 Coventry 16 -7 17
17 Derby 16 -8 17
18 Barnsley 15 -8 17
19 Scunthorpe 16 -12 17
20 Doncaster 16 -3 15
21 Plymouth 16 -11 15
22 Reading 16 -10 14
23 Ipswich 16 -11 12
24 Peterborough 16 -9 11

Three points behind 14th place (also three points above last...)

But its always better to be pessimistic on HNA isn't it

[Ryn]

Who's being pessimistic? Just telling it like it is.

The table indeed tells no lies. If we had taken our chances then we'd be as high as 14th (possibly).

The fact is we didn't, and so we are 22nd.

Continual 'good' performances like Saturday's will see us relegated this season. We need more than one good half of football. We need less laughable set piece defending. We need clear roles and responsibilities for the players so that their efforts are not for nothing.

Let me be clear, I do not fault the players' commitment as they have shown this last two weeks that when they're in the shit they can still come out fighting.

I just question if they know what they are fighting for, and whether they are all pulling in the same direction. I don't believe Rodgers has enough about him to get the players to give that little bit extra.

[sandman]

It feels a little bit too much like Southampton for me. We can play well for periods but we lack any real Cutting edge, We have a young squad and we like to pass the ball around. It was a better performance but it still didn't yield a positive result for us which in the long run is a worry.

[Silver Fox]

Well I thoroughly enjoyed it, second half at least. Saw some real signs of promise but yes it would be lovely to get a decent striker playing. Magic had a bit of a shocker, I knew we shouldn't have bigged him up pre-game, he just kept giving the ball away. O'Dea should definitely be playing instead of Pearce, if not he might aswell head back up north surely?

And of course the penalty that couldn't have been more stonewall if it was hanging around with Peter Tatchell campaigning for gay rights. A lot of incidents in games once you calm down you can see what the ref or his "assistant" might have been thinking, not there though, an absolutely baffling decision.

[Ian Royal]

So. How many people are concerned that we played well on Saturday, postively battering Ipshit in the second half, yet still only came away with a draw?

The team is blending well together, now that Mr Rodgers has seen fit to decide on a starting 11 and a proper formation, the lads really seem like they are putting everything into their performances now.

Unfortunately all of that has come together, and we can still only manage a point at home to the bottom of the league side.

The RTGs are chirping again that Rodgers is the man to take us forward and that he will come good, but the truth is that his action plan is now in place and yet we are still facing relegation.

If we are playing well and still not winning, then we will be relegated.

What an unbelievably stupid post. So we'd be less likely to get relegated if we created zilch but scored a few more scrappy goals?

If we scored a few more scrappy goals we would be mid table and not bottom three.

If you play badly, you can improve. If you play well, there's not a lot you can do.

There is no doubt in my mind that our performances are much improved recently, we are creating much more, but failing to capitalise, and are still wobbly at set pieces.

The team is lacking a killer edge, and Rodgers is not the man to give it to them.

He asks for a little bit of luck or the rub of the green every week, yet when we get it (Church's goal) he still wants more. 16 games in and you make your own luck, and the table so far tells no lies.

You don't go from being shit to good in three games, just because the manager starts addressing the problems. The players are now in a position where they can actually start improving their games and winning matches. Give it at least another 2 games before you write off our improvement as having no effect.

[Ryn]

Valid, and I will, but the general concensus is that we are 'playing well' with people posting on the last few 'back from' threads that they enjoyed the game and that we were playing 'better'.

I am just saying that if we are playing 'better' and still not picking up the points in the next month or two we really will be up the creek without a paddle.

[TommyF]

I was amazed listening to BBCRB on Saturday how many people were feeling positive despite the draw. Thats a few times I've heard this this season.

Can't wait for all the positives that can be drawn from being relegated. I used to think RFC was supported by a bunch of pessimists but that must have just been when we had something to cheer about.

[Royal Lady]

Home to Blackpool will be a telling game then. They are, I believe, currently 5th, but a fair few on here seem to think we will beat them.

[rhroyal]

Home to Blackpool will be a telling game then. They are, I believe, currently 5th, but a fair few on here seem to think we will beat them.

Plymouth v Blackpool was on tv the other week, and it looked like they had a well-organized team, playing to eachothers strengths. Very much unlike our "insane clown posse" randomly selected by Krusty the Clown Rodgers.
I have a feeling this may be another QPR style result.

If we put in a good performance and a result against them then, will that be enough to start convincing you to give Rodgers more time?

[zummerset]

Blackpool are going to hammer us. The difference being one has a manager who talks like a clown but can walk the walk - the other is just a clown...

[Royal Rother]

Blackpool are going to hammer us...

We outplayed Leicester at home and they have the same points as Blackpool so it seems illogical to expect that.

[Dirk Gently]

Blackpool are going to hammer us...

Half of our problems about winning at home are psychological - let's face it, they must be!

So if we go into a match where's we're expected to win the nerves get to us and we take that extra fraction of a second "to make sure" instead of playing instinctively - and that's where we're going wrong.

With a match where we're expected to lose perhaps the players will just relax and go out and play in a more relaxed way and win!