This is the Bristol Post opinion on the signings that DC has made. Thought I would share this. Do you agree with who they think has been a HIT, MISS or JURY OUT? Lee Mansell: A key addition with bags of Football League experience, and has been a heart beating at the centre of Rovers' midfield for much of the season. HIT Matt Taylor: Much-maligned for poor goals return earlier in the season, but he has scored in successive games recently to take his tally to nine goals and is finally starting to win some of his critics over. JURY OUT Stuart Sinclair: A player who encapsulates all that is good about this new-look Rovers squad. Almost won the game against Gateshead single-handedly recently and glorious beard has seen him become a real cult hero with supporters already. HIT Daniel Leadbitter: Has had an up and down start to Memorial Stadium. High point came with a goal against Lincoln in September and has played well when coming in to cover for injuries over the Christmas period. JURY OUT Andy Monkhouse: Form has dipped in the last month or two, but has weighed in with six goals and was more like himself in the 4-0 win over Macclesfield recently. HIT Neal Trotman: Made a woeful start at Barnet in the opening week of the season, but has responded in the right way and has certainly been one of Rovers' most consistent performers this season. HIT Will Puddy: Didn't look to have the safest hands on debut at Barnet earlier in the season, but has emerged to show himself to be a capable understudy to number one Steve Mildenhall. HIT Adam Cunnington: Striker signed on loan from Cambridge added much-needed physical presence up front and scored three goals in 16 games. HIT Angelo Balanta: Injured almost straight away after signing a one-year-deal and did not feature unti November. Has shown fleeting glimpses of ability to suggest he is levels above the Conference, but has disappointed in the games he has started. JURY OUT Jake Gosling: In and out of the squad over the early part of the season, but has scored a couple of times and has played really well over the Christmas period. Looks to have potential over the longer-term. JURY OUT Lyle Della-Verde: Showed no signs of nerves or tension when making his debut against Tranmere in the FA Cup. Bags of pace, skill and ability down the wing. Unfortunate injury at Wrexham cut loan spell short. HIT Alex Wall: Came on-loan from Luton Town boasting a good goals record at Conference Premier level after scoring six times in 11 outings at Dartford last season. Didn't score in five appearances for Rovers and failed to impress Darrell Clarke in order to earn an extended stay. MISS Dave Martin: Signed on a half-season loan and looked to be a decent addition in the first month of his spell. Form tailed off from around the middle of November and has rarely been part of the match-day squad since. A good player, but, for whatever reason, it just hasn't worked out. MISS Jamie White: Signed from Salisbury and was expected to be the sort of goal poacher that would fill his boots in a team that was doing well. Failed to score in 11 outings and contract was terminated by mutual consent in November. MISS Nathan Blissett: Snapped up for upwards of £50,000 days after scoring for Kidderminster Harriers against Rovers. Has made a good start to his spell by scoring four goals in seven game. HIT Bradley Goldberg: Has mainly been used from the bench since arriving on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge in November. He has clearly done enough to persuade Darrell Clarke to extend his loan spell. JURY OUT Fabian Spiess: Emergency cover after both Steve Mildenhall and Will Puddy suffered injuries. Made two good saves on debut at Welling, but has made a couple of poor individual errors that have led to opposition goals since. MISS http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/ROVERS-TRANSFER-HITS-MISSES/story-25787213-detail/story.html?7878
Agree with most of that. They are a bit harsh on Speiss and Taylor though. Cunnington a hit? Not too sure personally.
I don't think they should have articles like this in the paper anyway since when do the Evil Post know anything about are players
Matty most definitely a hit despite his early season inability to find the net. One of our best players and our main goal threat now. Gosling also a hit in my opinion - puts in good crosses and worries defences. Has scored a couple and has several assists. Still not convinced about Leadbitter - has played well recently and is inconsistent. When he plays badly, he plays really badly. I'm going to stick my neck out about Balanta - I think he'll be a miss. I reckon he's one of those players with ability but a poor attitude - I don't think he'll do it with us and his future will be playing for a Conference South/North team on a semi-professional basis. Overall, DC has made mostly very good signings and they've gelled well - can't complain about being second after the poor start we made!
Agree with you Bluebaldy I think Matty taylor is a Hit, and the Jury out for Blissett. I think Blissett is one for the future. Balanta can be good on the ball but he doesn't work hard enough when we haven't the ball in fact i cannot remember one of his tackles.
For some reason Blissett is already a fans favourite. Well it comes across that way in the Blackthorn end. He is definately 1 for the future and has already got some goals for us, however you can clearly see the rawness in him. He has missed some sitters which even bs3 gas would score The Torquay away miss was awful, 4 yards out! The sort of wasted chance that only Julian Alsop could miss!! Today apparently Blissestt missed from 2 yards and wasnt from a tight angle either. Once he learns more from the likes of Stewart in training and therefore cuts out the sitters, he could really be prolific for us.
exactly, wait until he cuts out the sitters, becoming more clinical. i think him along with maybe sinclair, could be the players who would attract attention from football league clubs from league 1 onwards.
I think Blissett reminds everyone of Devon White that is why he is so well liked. My problem with Blissett is at the moment he doesn't hold the ball up like Devon White did or Matt Taylor does, but like you say it will improve. Would I have scored some of his misses, I don't think so. One game this season the ball came to me in the West Enclosure. I should have caught it . It dropped to my feet and I couldn't even bend down to pick it up.
I caught the ball twice in the away game against Forest Green in the pouring rain last August. I was getting drenched with everyone else on that open terrace - both times a clean catch bearing in mind the conditions!. Hadn't happened to me for years and then twice in one game - my mate saw me on TV!
Yeah yeah, this is more like you baldee.... I like how the man next to her on her right didnt even care that the little girl next to him got hit
Jake Gosling just needs a bit more end product, but he's definitely been great. DC's done fantastic job, getting rid of the right dead wood and signing pretty much the right players. It's a pointless article in the Post, which seems to be trying to undermine DC...
Oi! I'm as good as Nigel Martyn me. Except 4 inches shorter! My Dad actually had a trial in goal with Rovers back in the 50s even though he was only 5ft 10 - he was a bloody good keeper though. I used to watch him play in goal for Corinthian Sports in Eastville Park when I was a nipper.
Goslings set pieces have been very good. We have the best defensive record in the league and we again kept a clean sheet today. Wonder how good our defence would be if we still had Smith at RB???
Do you think? I'm not sure he'd get offers above League 2 level and we could probably match most of them financially.
