MATCHWATCH : Blackpool (a)

[windermereROYAL]

Joint bottom.

We are not bottom. Stoke have conceded more goals than us. We are joint 20th. on goal difference/scored. at least we are above the dotted line.

We were when I posted it, Stoke were losing 1-0.

[loyalroyal4life]

How long until Bowen replaces Ince....

[Zip]

How long until Bowen replaces Ince....

He deserves a number of months but four straight League defeats and no goals scored isn’t a great place to be in right now. As long as it is clear he looks like keeping us up then he should stay. Anything about 22nd is a success so the bar is set low. The squad looks good enough to survive but if we have another injury ravaged season it won’t be. The injuries are far more disappointing than today’s result.

[Millsy]

Not sure why we're giving ratings to Hendrick and Fornah when they didn't play.

I know they they were named in the starting 11 and all that but I watched the game.

[JR]

Feel like it's not a game without at least some ratings.

Lumley - 7 no worrying moments, lucky with one off the post and a good save followed by I thought he could maybe do better with the goal. Claimed crosses well.
Yiadom - 8 led really well and once released in the second half helped us get forward
Holmes - 7 read the danger well
McIntyre - 7 same
Hoilett - 7 some nice stuff but not enough end product
NGW - 6 two unfortunate slips that could have been costly but weren’t, thought he did ok
Hendrick - 6.5 poor start but grew into the game, much better playing further from the defence
Fornah - 6 grew into the game more, one bit of nice determination and strength, but very anonymous start
Ince - 7 could run all day, chased, ran at defence, needs end product
Ejaria - 6 probably the best midfielder defensively first half, but very uninvolved otherwise.
Meite - 6 looks a threat but we didn't create enough

Long - didn’t have an impact

Ince - not good enough setting us up to start, sub too little and too late.

Based on the stats and these ratings we were unlucky to not get at least a point.

So we shouldn’t be too disheartened in the first game for a brand new team.

[blythspartan]

Feel like it's not a game without at least some ratings.

Lumley - 7 no worrying moments, lucky with one off the post and a good save followed by I thought he could maybe do better with the goal. Claimed crosses well.
Yiadom - 8 led really well and once released in the second half helped us get forward
Holmes - 7 read the danger well
McIntyre - 7 same
Hoilett - 7 some nice stuff but not enough end product
NGW - 6 two unfortunate slips that could have been costly but weren’t, thought he did ok
Hendrick - 6.5 poor start but grew into the game, much better playing further from the defence
Fornah - 6 grew into the game more, one bit of nice determination and strength, but very anonymous start
Ince - 7 could run all day, chased, ran at defence, needs end product
Ejaria - 6 probably the best midfielder defensively first half, but very uninvolved otherwise.
Meite - 6 looks a threat but we didn't create enough

Long - didn’t have an impact

Ince - not good enough setting us up to start, sub too little and too late.

Based on the stats and these ratings we were unlucky to not get at least a point.

So we shouldn’t be too disheartened in the first game for a brand new team.

+1 Also, if Joao and Hutchinson had been playing I think we win that game. As has been mentioned the injuries are more the most disappointing thing. Plus, it will take time for the team to gel and for some players to find their feet.

[Stranded]

The biggest take away from yesterday is injuries will kill us.

Hutchinson looks like a late knock, so probably within 24 to 48 hours prior to kick off, losing him meant:

Yiadom moved back to RCB
Hoilett moving from LWB to RWB
NGW getting a full debut when he was most likely going to be a bench option.

No wonder it looked disjointed and poorly set up as players were suddenly playing in positions that they hadn't prepped to play in a relatively new formation. Team grew into it and built a lot of pressure without really hurting them. Positives there but 1 defeat could be 2 or 3 quickly.

Loum and hopefully Sarr next week makes us a different team.

[Hound]

Injuries very disappointing. Just lucky we don’t have a league midweek game for a few weeks. Hopefully Hutchinson and Joao back for the game on 2 weeks time

Ince tends to be quite pessimistic in his return dates, unlike Pauno

[Notts Royal]

Have to say I’m disappointed the summer break has ended. Was enjoyable not having lost for a few months!

Predicted a 1-0 loss & that’s exactly what happened. Too early to judge but we know this is going to be a dogfight of a season so it’s hardly surprising.

Fully fit squad is a priority & we all know our record for signing injury-prone players!

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Was listening on BBCRB hoping for a different story this season...

But just from listening, there is a strong sense of deja vu - set up to invite pressure, go a goal down within 15-20 mins, then start to play once there is a deficit to make up.

Never make up the deficit or maybe spawn a draw....

I'd like to see the team set up to start at a good tempo and try and score first at some point...

[Franconian Royal]

The 2nd half was much better than the first, which isn’t hard. Such a shame that Lucas is out injured.
I’m hoping PINce changes it up for next weekend. I hope he goes 2 up top with Yakou and ShLong. I know ShLong isn’tw what he was, but I think some teams, would be quite scared of those 2 up top.
Hearing that Loum is ready to go, is a positive. See someone posted on Twatter that he likes a yellow. Snr Franconian called him Bikey Mk. 2. Could be fun over 46 games if he keeps up that many yellows, but Hendrick looked off the pace and Fornah was bullied a lot first half yesterday.
Onwards and upwards

[Franconian Royal]

Was listening on BBCRB hoping for a different story this season...

But just from listening, there is a strong sense of deja vu - set up to invite pressure, go a goal down within 15-20 mins, then start to play once there is a deficit to make up.

Never make up the deficit or maybe spawn a draw....

I'd like to see the team set up to start at a good tempo and try and score first at some point...

Would like this too LJT, but with players out, we’re limited to what we can do.

[Royal_jimmy]

Looking at the game (not the injuries which again is a joke and our medical teams positions need to be reviewed), what troubled me was we didn't do our homework on Blackpool. Bowler is their best player and their strengths mean that they attack predominantly on the right side of the pitch. Yet we never doubled up on him to nullify the threat. NGW was torn to pieces and their goal came from that side. Clearly bad tactics.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

The only thing I fear this season is Paul Ince. Today, and the latter part of last season, showed that inept attitude of a good manager.

Saying that, it is only the 1st game. We have a much healthier squad than last season, with most new signings that look exciting, it is how the manager puts this on the field of play. Unfortunately, I don't think he is up to scratch.

Proove me wrong. I hope he pulls it off though.

If it weren’t for our injuries still

[Royal_jimmy]

The only thing I fear this season is Paul Ince. Today, and the latter part of last season, showed that inept attitude of a good manager.

Saying that, it is only the 1st game. We have a much healthier squad than last season, with most new signings that look exciting, it is how the manager puts this on the field of play. Unfortunately, I don't think he is up to scratch.

Proove me wrong. I hope he pulls it off though.

If it weren’t for our injuries still

Not sure about our squad being better. Laurent and Swift were massive blows when they left and their quality hasn't been replaced

[South Coast Royal]

Have just read Ince's comments after the game and it was usual management speak about the odd mistake, we were better second half and deserved something from the game blah, blah.

What about the first half?
With 5 subs now permitted I agree with the posters that say why not use them when we are losing?
Even if Shane Long is not super fit surely he could at least have played for half an hour.

Fornah looks to be the new Dele-Bashiru and I suspect will lose his place once Loum looms large but he fills out the squad and Guinness-Walker had a tough time but so did Richards when he first came into the side so let's wait and see.

We did pass it around a lot in the second half without really threatening and that might now be the issue for this season-creativity and finishing whereas last season it was more about the poor defensive side.

Here's hoping that Loum is as good as his history indicates and that he is here to showcase his talents ahead of a move to a bigger club, otherwise it is difficult to understand why he would be coming to us.

[Hound]

Because Bowen managed to convince him we are in London from the look of his Twitter

But yes hopefully he’ll add some bite in the midfield and be good to go for next week

[windermereROYAL]

Disappointing that players are getting judged and thrown to the wolves after just 90 minutes of competitive football this season.

[URZZZZ]

Given how reliant we’ve been on certain players in these last few seasons, in other words passing to Swift/Olise and hoping they conjure something up, it’s no surprise we were a little blunt in the final third yesterday. In theory, this is a new way of playing (both formation and personnel) so it’s natural it won’t be a quick fix. And was refreshing to see the players work so hard, even from the top end of the pitch, Ince and Ejaria with a number of tackles/interceptions higher up the park.

However, it does require gradual improvement from one week to the next. Making one sub out of five, not chucking another up top, and ending with a ST at LF and a RF at ST just isn’t good enough. There was a real opportunity to get back into the game those last 15 minutes and we didn’t exploit it near enough.

Learning curve for both the players (starting so slowly, and the final ball not being there) and the management (culpable for the slow start and lack of reactivity) but there were promising signs there.

[Stranded]

Have just read Ince's comments after the game and it was usual management speak about the odd mistake, we were better second half and deserved something from the game blah, blah.

What about the first half?
With 5 subs now permitted I agree with the posters that say why not use them when we are losing?
Even if Shane Long is not super fit surely he could at least have played for half an hour.

Fornah looks to be the new Dele-Bashiru and I suspect will lose his place once Loum looms large but he fills out the squad and Guinness-Walker had a tough time but so did Richards when he first came into the side so let's wait and see.

We did pass it around a lot in the second half without really threatening and that might now be the issue for this season-creativity and finishing whereas last season it was more about the poor defensive side.

Here's hoping that Loum is as good as his history indicates and that he is here to showcase his talents ahead of a move to a bigger club, otherwise it is difficult to understand why he would be coming to us.

1st half was mainly due to 2 players having to shift position due to Hutchinson's late injury and NGW starting when that wasn't the plan.

Fornah doing exactly as the reviews suggest and starting slowly, he'll adjust to the pace and show his worth IMHO.

Taking injury out of it, If Sarr had been signed off in time, the impact of having another CB in the back 3, would have lead to a more cohesive start as players would be playing where they had prepped and we would have got, at worst, a 0-0 out of yesterday.