TOPIC: Bristol Rovers - player ratings

A lethargic performance from our reserves. Rovers started strongly and should've been 2 up in the first 10 mins. While we were trying tippy tappy football and slipping around like bambis on ice, they adapted much better to the conditions and appeared to want the win more than us.

Gillespie 6 some smart saves but flapped at a corner and beaten too easily at near post for second

Miller 7 stopped them scoring at start of second with crucial sliding tackle, good to see him back.

Atkinson 6 OK, but gave Easter too much space on ball

Ellis 6 Good tackling; passing played us into trouble at times

Brough 6 strong running but final balls all over the place, literally.

Sweeney 7 Determined performance.

Dicker 8 Our most influential player.

McQueen 5 Quiet, pity as he's got pace to burn.

Thompson 5 Failed once again to make an impression. If we must play him it should be on the right, his stronger foot.

Balanta 5 Struggled to get into game, looked like a man who hadn't played for a couple of months.

Asamoah 6 Usual clever running but schoolboy shooting when he had sight of goal.

Rovers look a good bet for the play-offs on that showing, but maybe our injuries, sickness and suspension made them look better than they are. Our squad needs a couple of additions in Jan - more creativity in midfield and possibly another wide man.

I agree with your ratings but I thought Bristol were very average.

Certain players had a chance to impress today but did not take their chance. Disappointing.

Thompson - 5? Can you name me 5 times he touched the ball that didn't result in us losing it? 2 at best.

Brough - 6? 90% of our final balls fell to him to deliver and I can't count one occasion he found a man. Again a 2 at best.

Brough's overall performance was encouraging and much better than earlier in the season. He and Thompson combined well down the left in the first half.

Brough has the makings of an excellent player, but his final pass lets him down too often although Curle must see something to put him on corners today.

The Archer wrote:
Coming back from Bristol now, really disagree with this one regarding Brough and Thompson, I think they're both really quite weak and I struggle to justify keeping Thompson at the club and I think Brough needs a loan to get a bit of confidence in order for him to nail the final delivery, he's got talent and is probably worth keeping on to let him develop.

It really was very poor yesterday. Thompson and Balanta really dont look up to it for me.I though Asamoah was too isolated with no support..but why go with these tactics with a team struggling for form??

Curle got it wrong today. Should have got at them early but it never happened.

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Thompson and Brough have just finished drinking, paid up their bill and left the last-chance saloon bar for me whilst Balanta is on last orders. The goal knocked the stuffing out of the team just when we were having our best spell of the match with Ellis desperately close to scoring when he deflected the free-kick just wide of the post. For all of Dicker's good work when he had possession of the ball, he was at clear fault for the second by being left flat-footed and failing to put in a challenge. I'm not saying he's short of pace but he would have made Balderstone look like Jamie Vardy if they had ever played in the same team.

lbtufty wrote:
FFS. You can't criticise him. Get ready for the backlash.

Really p****s me off people slating Patrick Brought. Give the lad a break for crying out loud. He is getting played out of position. He is a lb and not a lwb. Maybe if curle played a bog standard 442 we would get somewhere in games like yesterday instead of setting up to come away with a pathetic point. Also criticism off Rigg is unfair. The lad has hardly either had a look in and just expecting him too come in and deliver is wrong. Don't forget last year Rigg was one of the better players.

Dazzyblue wrote:
Maybe if Patrick Brought a bit more to the table he wouldnt get critisised too much.

Dazzyblue wrote:
Rigg literally hadn't been mentioned in this thread until your comment...


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Dazzyblue wrote:
Well I can assure you that on Saturday he was playing left back in a back 4.

crunchblue wrote:
I just wish he had been left back in the changing room.

q Considering Bristol had hardly picked a feckin point up at home all season, I'd say they were all garbage.....

Dazzyblue wrote:
To be fair he hasn't played well this season when selected and that's the reason he hasn't got a sniff this season. Grainger improving this season is another factor. That's football tho, Brough was better than Grainger last season . He needs to go out on loan like someone mentioned before.

Brough played left back on saturday