Pre-Bristol Rovers chat ...

He's doing a good impression of Bruce - he just needs to order a load more pies from Greggs

 

Bristol Rovers are relegated already in my opinion. Only Swindon have lost more games, they’re in the bottom 3 for goals scored and have notched only 3 wins in their last 20 games.

Add to that a poor start for new manager Barton who is already wheeling out his excuses, they can’t train properly because the games come around too quickly ( same for all clubs ) the match officials cost them the game the other day ( ditto ) and the club isn’t being run properly in his opinion.

He says there’s a cancer in there that needs cutting out and he sees himself as a doctor or surgeon who can see the problem but isn’t able to operate on it. What a bullshitter

Anyway @Wolfy, aye best roll our sleeves up for this one, toughest test of our season

 

Bristol Rovers are likely to finish bottom because they've lost a few of their better players and Barton has had very little effect. I doubt he'll be there next season tbh.

They've had two on target efforts in their last two games since Barton has changed their system ...

... Portsmouth and Lincoln weren't must win games but this is.

We can't afford not to beat a team like Bristol.

 

Smug, you're saying must win but I'm saying unthinkable that we won’t win.

Must win almost sounds as though there is a bit of pressure implied. There just isn't though. We have even had a midweek off so we're going in quite rested.

I'm not being arrogant by saying this. It is just reflection of a the facts. Rovers are one of the lowest goal scoring teams in L1 whilst Sunderland are one of the highest scorers. We have the tightest defence in L1 and they have one of the leakiest. They drop their heads and give up where we fight our way back in to contention.

 

It isn't even our toughest test this week!

 

I wish I had your confidence, but I'm never where we are concerned.

 

Its been years since I played any form of competitive football/cricket/rugby...

Only play some golf now...

Having said that the common threads of playing well, preparation, getting there early, fit and fresh, training/practicing and team building, each working for each other..and going out there and fcuking enjoying, it whilst as they say, leaving it all in the pitch... have not changed.

I may be wrong but since LJ and Mcgeady have emerged and Wyke is banging in goals, we seem to have thrown off the losing/half trying philosophy.. even when we gave been poor we have found a way to win or draw. We leave the pitch with no regrets..... for heavens sake, it was Macfazdean who scored last week, usually our worst player on the pitch.
So if even Faz is joining in, we have some momentum going on right now.

Doesn't mean we will win every game, it means we will give it a right go!

 

I think you are being arrogant by saying this, history is littered with results that that were dismissed as impossible before a ball was kicked. You're asking fate to bite your arse I'm afraid. Liverpool fans will know the feeling quite well this season.

 

I'm not taking it for granted, as bad as they are and as good as we are, and the league positions don't lie. We just know something can come along and kick you in the teeth.
But,
I'm quietly confident and very very impressed with where we are now in terms of being very professional, tactical and how much we've improved etc. we've got to keep it up against poor teams. No disrespect to Bristol, plenty to joey lè farton.
What absolute shìt he talks.

 

@RTB has put the real match thread up and threatened to get me at playtime if mine stays on ...

... Mods, please close it!