BFTG - Rov'rum

[3points]

Didn't think it was Kelly, per se, that made the difference in the second half. It was the fact we had too many players playing out of position in the first half. With Kelly on, Williams could move forward a little (where he is better than as the holding midfield role He had in the first half) and then McCleary and Beerens moved out to their better wings. It was just a better shape in the second half with players playing in the preferred slots.

Why doesn't Gunter drive forward more often. He looks so much better when he does.

[Platypuss]

Completely the wrong starting line-up/approach/shape first half, but fair play to Jaap he sorted it and the second half was a matter of when, not if.

[Royal Ginger]

Another game of two halves. Second half Rotherham dropped back deeper, Didn't press as high. Kelly as a result was given space to play in. Good patient play achieved the result in the end.

Will Mendes get a start at Forest. Understandable why he was rested today.

All games have two halfs...except for Fulham...that had 3.

Williams was excellent, Rotherham were hopeless but put everyone behind the ball. Proffesional win, no great surprises.

I was about to yell at Gunter for not shooting, but it was a tap in for Swift so I shut up. Turned to the bloke behind me who said he was about to do the same thing.

I think that you will find that all games have 2 halves. Few, if any, have 2 halfs. None have 3 of either halfs or halves.

(Oh, and it is "professional"!)

lol. Humourless oxf*rd.

[marlowuk]

Seldom has a BFTG thread been so unanimous - and nothing different from me! We were lethargic and careless in the first half. Anyone would think we'd had little time to recover from our last game! (And it was adding insult to injury for Villa who also had only 1 day to recover but found themselves starting today's game 15 minutes earlier than the rest of us!!)

Williams was the only player who seemed to have any energy and who wanted to make things - anything - happen. AAH spilled the ball for their goal but it was a difficult first shot to cling onto.

Credit to Stam who changed things around at half-time. Kelly came on for Meite (who had shown some desire without much end product) and GMac went onto the right wing where he enjoyed a great half. He links so well with Gunter I don't know why he would be played anywhere else!! But from the beginning of the half we were looking at a completely different team and the crowd got behind them. The introduction of Grabbin was a (lucky?) masterstroke and he took his goal well - no goalkeeper on earth was going to stop that shot.

The second goal was also a great ball across the goal from Gunter and clinically finished by Swift. In fact that was about the only thing Swift did of note for the whole game. His confidence to do anything, other than the safe pass, seems shot! He used to be our playmaker, pulling the strings in mid-field but, since his injury, that role has been taken on by Kelly who is MOTSH (Man of the Second Half) with Williams my MOTFH.

So a deserved win, particularly after the Rotherham early time-wasting tactics. Their goalkeeper had a good game but that is not unusual when the game is so one-sided. Without getting complacent, it looks like a three-horse race for the final two play-off places now between Weds, Fulham and Leeds.

[CountryRoyal]

That second goal was utter relief.

Beerens was atrocious.

[marlowuk]

The second goal was also a great ball across the goal from Gunter and clinically finished by Swift.

I should have added that the pass from Williams that set up Gunter was a brilliant defence-splitting ball!!

[Lower West]

The first half an hour you could tell Rotherham had enjoyed the extra day, we looked a bit leggy in places.

The front four today were totally fresh...............

[Hound]

Watching the highlights, 2 things that stood out more than they did at the time were that Meite's efforts were pretty good (and he was the only one who looked any good up front 1st half - unlucky to be subbed but right decision) and how good Gunter can be when he attacks. Fast, makes great runs, reasonably powerful and can pick a great pass under pressure. So frustrating that we don't see that more often

[RoyalBlue]

I think AAH will be disappointed with his part in the goal we conceded. Yes, the ball came in from relatively close range but it was a header, not a shot, and was straight into his chest/midriff. He should really have been able to gather that into his body - not his usual really quick reactions. There again, few of our team were reacting quickly at that stage in the game.

[Top Flight]

The second goal was also a great ball across the goal from Gunter and clinically finished by Swift.

I should have added that the pass from Williams that set up Gunter was a brilliant defence-splitting ball!!

Gunters movement was also first class. Definitely the best RB in Wales.

[Top Flight]

I think AAH will be disappointed with his part in the goal we conceded. Yes, the ball came in from relatively close range but it was a header, not a shot, and was straight into his chest/midriff. He should really have been able to gather that into his body - not his usual really quick reactions. There again, few of our team were reacting quickly at that stage in the game.

It was almost a point blank bullet header. He did well to save it initially. He would have had to be superman to hold on to it as well.

[Top Flight]

Watching the highlights, 2 things that stood out more than they did at the time were that Meite's efforts were pretty good (and he was the only one who looked any good up front 1st half - unlucky to be subbed but right decision) and how good Gunter can be when he attacks. Fast, makes great runs, reasonably powerful and can pick a great pass under pressure. So frustrating that we don't see that more often

Meiete got subbed not because he wasn't good but because our tactical genius of a football manager fffd up the team selection in the first half. 3 wingers. Really Jaap? He sorted it out at half time and played our proper team for the second half and things improved. Yakou will have his day, eventually.

[Top Flight]

The first half an hour you could tell Rotherham had enjoyed the extra day, we looked a bit leggy in places.

The front four today were totally fresh...............

And totally disjointed first half. Jaaps fault. He had a tactical nightmare of a first half.

[OLLIE KEARNS]

Playing two different front 4's in the past three days made a lot of sense. Playing Williams in the "quarterback "role made no sense but credit to Stam for changing it at half time. Having Kelly moving the ball quickly and having Williams and McCleary playing higher up the pitch changed the tempo of the game completely.
Sad for the half time boo boys. Spoilt children mentality ! This is professional sport, it doesn't always go to plan. When a team delivers the kind of season this team has then maybe some encouragement might be the order of the day ?

[Top Flight]

Playing two different front 4's in the past three days made a lot of sense. Playing Williams in the "quarterback "role made no sense but credit to Stam for changing it at half time. Having Kelly moving the ball quickly and having Williams and McCleary playing higher up the pitch changed the tempo of the game completely.
Sad for the half time boo boys. Spoilt children mentality ! This is professional sport, it doesn't always go to plan. When a team delivers the kind of season this team has then maybe some encouragement might be the order of the day ?

It could have gone right from the very start. But Jaap sometimes likes to mess about with his team and try different things. Coppell never messed around with a winning formula. When it ain't broke don't try to fix it.

[WAZZOCK]

The first half an hour you could tell Rotherham had enjoyed the extra day, we looked a bit leggy in places.

The front four today were totally fresh...............

It wasn't even getting to the front four though was it. The passing amongst Ali and the back four was sloppy, and the balls forward lacked any concentration and precision. Danny was trying to take the game by the scruff of the neck but was going down easily, and a large chunk of the game passed Swift by. It's all very well having the outlets, but we weren't utilising them.

[windermereROYAL]

No mention of what looked like a nailed on pen for us in the first half.

[Woodcote Royal]

The first half an hour you could tell Rotherham had enjoyed the extra day, we looked a bit leggy in places.

The front four today were totally fresh...............

And totally disjointed first half. Jaaps fault. He had a tactical nightmare of a first half.

Are you serious

Over the Easter I recall, having been forced to play 2 games in 48 hours thanks to the desire of Saturday's opposition to bend over backwards in order to help the local church, and the refusal of the pr*cks who run the game to aid that process by moving today's fixture anywhere that would allow more time for recovery, Stam's over stretched and clearly knackered squad managed to gain all 6pts on offer......................if that's a tactical nightmare, another 3 should see us promoted.

[Top Flight]

The front four today were totally fresh...............

And totally disjointed first half. Jaaps fault. He had a tactical nightmare of a first half.

Are you serious

Over the Easter I recall, having been forced to play 2 games in 48 hours thanks to the desire of Saturday's opposition to bend over backwards in order to help the local church, and the refusal of the pr*cks who run the game to aid that process by moving today's fixture anywhere that would allow more time for recovery, Stam's over stretched and clearly knackered squad managed to gain all 6pts on offer......................if that's a tactical nightmare, another 3 should see us promoted.

I said the FIRST HALF was a tactical nightmare bozo. And it was. We lost the first half 1-0 against a team that have taken just 1 point away from home all season. No one could even complete a pass in the first half. We were completely disjointed.

Stam sorted it out at half time. He knew he'd ballsed it up in the first half and he put it right. So well done Stam.

[Ian Royal]

Funny how the highlights tell a very different tale. Cheers for the reviews as always everyone. That was some strike from Grabban and indeed a terrific pass and run from Williams and Gunter. I think criticism of Habsi is a bit harsh, that was a point blank header straight at him - hard to hold.