How do you reflect on a game like Saturday’s constructively while also being honest? It’s tough. Simply put, Bristol Rovers were way off the level they need to be to succeed in League One this season in a 4-0 home defeat to Wigan Athletic.
On the back of two wins from two at home and a couple of performances on the road that had spirit and moments, albeit in defeat, the Gas were second best by some stretch for 75 minutes on their own turf.
Despite their sluggish start to the campaign, Wigan were always going to pose the toughest threat at The Mem yet but no one expected a performance quite as dominant as what the Latics produced. Credit where credit’s due, as poor as Rovers were, Shaun Maloney’s men were outstanding.
They broke effectively every time the Gas gave they ball away, with it another poor afternoon in the middle of the park for Matt Taylor’s men (more on that later) and could have easily scored a couple on the break. That’s why the manner of the goals conceded is so frustrating with three set-pieces, two of which corners, and a mistake from goalkeeper Josh Griffiths.
Rovers started the game brightly in fairness, as did Wigan, with the opening 15 minutes a lively, entertaining, end-to-end affair but the visitors grew into the contest as the hosts receded and once Joe Powell opened the scoring from a corner, the Gas seemed to get progressively shaky.
Although the scoreline is bitterly disappointing, it’s way too early to be overly concerned about the bigger picture that is the remaining 42 games of the League One season. We can appreciate that the term ‘it’s still a work in progress’ and calling for patience will eventually get overused but right now, it’s still an important message to continue reinstating. Come back to us after 12 games or so.
There may not be positives to take from a 4-0 home defeat to a side you would like to think won’t be considerably ahead of Rovers in the final league table but there are points to be made. Here are some of the major takeaways…
Jamie Lindsay pushing as midfield struggles continue
If there is one area of the pitch that’s struggling the most right now, it’s the midfield. There was a lack of cohesion last weekend at Barnsley while against Wigan they were carved apart every time the Latics got on the attack. Individually, Jake Garrett and Kamil Conteh always win most of their duels and get stuck in while Isaac Hutchinson, who came in for his first start since Stockport County, had a few bright moments on the ball in the final third. However, as a unit they didn’t stick at all.
It doesn’t help that there has been a fair amount of chopping and changing in the middle of the park, which has been enforced. Grant Ward missed out entirely having not fully recovered from a collision against Barnsley that led to some muscle tightness and, with the 29-year-old’s injury history, Rovers didn’t want to risk him. However, that meant that there was very little seniority in the midfield and, although the plan for the Gas is that they will be young and naive this season, you do feel there needs to be some balance, especially in the nucleus of the team.
Step in Jamie Lindsay. The 28-year-old had missed four weeks of action with a medial knee ligament injury and made his return from the bench on Saturday. Not to say that the former Rotherham United midfielder made a colossal difference but judging on Taylor’s post-match comments, the Rovers boss is keen to integrate him into the starting line up as soon as possible.
The Scotsman has played the last two seasons in the Championship and his previous two campaigns in League One ended in promotion so from a pedigree point of view, the midfielder is an asset for this team.
Asked whether the midfield is crying out for a more senior figure like Jamie Lindsay, Taylor told Bristol Live: “It is, but it’s been circumstance as to why he’s not played more. We got him where we need him to get to and then he’s on the pitch for a certain amount of time at Rotherham and he opens up his medial. If he doesn’t do that he starts the Stockport game. Everyone’s been crying out for a bit of steel or a bit of steadiness in there, I think that’s the best word for it. There was just too much naivety and a lack of control in there.
“You can always add on maybe we missed Wardy today because of his legs and his dynamic. But that’s just pinpointing individual positions, individual units. Collectively we were not where we needed to be today.”
Jamie Lindsay pictured in action for Bristol Rovers (Image: Mark Kerton/EFL)
No doubt with the Taylor Moore red card
Annoyingly we cannot find a clip at the time of writing to embed into here but the red card is a poor moment from Taylor Moore, but it’s also not great from the victim Maleace Asamoah Jr. Whenever incidents happen in regards to players leaning their heads into other players, even if no contact is made, you give the referee a decision to make. Although on replay it doesn’t look particularly malicious from Moore, he’ll know that he can’t give the referee a decision to make.
Once Asamoah Jr. went down holding his nose, you knew what was coming. Again on replay, the Wigan substitute took a couple of seconds to go down but you can understand why and it gained his side an advantage, although they were already four goals up away from home.
It’s a major disappointment for Moore who was probably Rovers’ best player up until the sending off. The summer arrival has been fantastic but will now likely face a three-match suspension which will rule him out of games away at Peterborough United and at home to Wycombe Wanderers and Charlton Athletic.
On the decision, Taylor I didn’t see it. I’ve not seen it back yet but everyone on the bench said it was clear. He’s held his hand up, a few of them have but apologies don’t really mean anything, it’s about what we do in the game. Great that they’re an honest group and they are honest generally but in terms of mistakes and accountability, yeah we have to better and that starts with me.”
Players knocking on Taylor’s door with one in particular
Having mentioned Lindsay, you would assume that Connor Taylor is a shoe-in for these next three games at least in Moore’s absence. The Rovers favourite wasn’t near his best when he came on at half-time on Saturday but it was some ask for a centre-back to come on and affect the game in a positive way with the Gas already 2-0 down.
We’re all well aware of his quality and capabilities so there won’t be any concerns about the change nor will it, you assume, make Rovers in any way weaker. The 22-year-old is a colossus in stature and boasts an intelligent football brain which reads the game at a level that suggests the defender has a good chance of making it all the way up to the Premier League one day.
It’s been bizarre seeing Taylor’s name on the substitutes bench for these league games so far but the 22-year-old had a delayed start to pre-season on the back of having knee surgery at the end of last campaign which meant that the best possible combination by the time the new term started was Moore, James Wilson and Clinton Mola. The trio have largely been outstanding together which has created next to no opening for Taylor to step in. Now, there’s a chance.
Asked about an opportunity now for Taylor, the defender’s manager and namesake told Bristol Live: “I’ve just said that. I’ve had people knocking on my door saying where do they stand, X,Y,Z. You pick yourself in football. Football is a really simple game from a manager’s view, pick the ones that are in form and playing well and actually contributing to the game.
“I know it’s so difficult for the substitutes to try and affect the game, how many will go home tonight and, if they’re honest with themselves, myself included, look and say, ‘did I contribute to the game in a positive way’ there’s a really simple aspect to that and when I watch it back tonight and twice more tomorrow, I’ll see more of what I don’t need to see back again. I’ve watched the same game as what you guys have watched and our supporters have watched and we weren’t good enough across the board today.”
A time and place for boos
This one is purely stated as opinion, but there is a time and place for boos. At full-time after a heavy home defeat, completely justified. At half-time, albeit 2-0 down and it could have been more…I’m not so sure.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course but the way in which Rovers started the second half had all the hallmarks of a team whose confidence had been drained. Not to suggest that that was solely the boos but the word ‘fragile’ has been thrown around a lot by Taylor so vocal rumbles of discontent can’t have helped what is largely such a young and inexperienced side.
Of course, the game was officially done and dusted at 3-0 when Griffiths made the mistake. It must be pointed out that the goalkeeper has been ridiculously good so far this season and has been responsible for some of the Gas’ results; bad days happen and he’ll get over it. However, even the build-up to the mistake was shaky with some stodgy, backwards passing.
Supporters have every right to vent their frustrations, especially after the full-time whistle, but does anyone really believe booing at half-time helps or makes a positive impact? Not to say Rovers would have gone on to salvage a result in the second half but they certainly didn’t come out confident, albeit for a number of reasons. It does feel as though there’s a time and place for them, that’s all.
