Ok, shall we describe our season as a failure? I think that you have to really, I mean, that everything should have been in place to mount at least a serious challenge to the play offs. Two ace strikers, a balanced squad with accomplished wingers in Marshall and Conway, an accomplished passer in Cairney and bite in the tackle with Williamson. Defence wise we had, if not class, then experience in Baptiste, Killgallon and keepers in Steele and Eastwood who were - at worst - competent.
Except things really did not click did they? Of those teams above us only Brentford have conceded as many goals and each and every team has outscored us.
Last season we scored and conceded nearly the same as this one. (13/14 F70 A72; 14/15 F66 A59). During that time there has been a familiar pattern of either "not scoring but not conceding" or "scoring but conceding to many". When we are ahead we let teams back in to the game too easily. When we are behind we find it difficult to claw our way back.
What are Rovers key weaknesses and how do they set things right?
- Rovers need to get more players to score more goals. Beyond the strikers not enough players score goals with Marshall with 6 being the highest goal scorer being Rhodes and Gestede.
- Rovers need to get their in game defensive management right. I don't just mean the defenders need to defend. The team needs to identify how the opponent is attacking and make appropriate tactical adjustments. This is particularly true when we are ahead in a game and the other team start to attack with greater gusto.
