MATCHWATCH : Mansfield Town (h)

[tidus_mi2]

Not been impressed by Kyreewa (probably spelled that wrong) and the sooner we have Paudie and Williams back, the better. Think it's time to drop Ahmed too.

[Snowflake Royal]

I think people are exaggerating how "good" Mansfield were because a win was expected, we gifted them a goal with pretty shambolic defending then they didn't really offer much.

Disagree, the cross was deflected into the path of the goalscorer, there`s little you can do about that.

Catalogue of errors leading to it though.

[Royalcop]

Mansfield had some decent chances beyond their goal and the goal ruled offside looked very tight - albeit I was down the other end of the stadium.

We weren’t great today, so many individual errors, but I wonder how much the very strong wind impacted us. We seemed to be playing more passes on the ground than usual, Wing especially.

[leon]

Mansfield had some decent chances beyond their goal and the goal ruled offside looked very tight - albeit I was down the other end of the stadium.

We weren’t great today, so many individual errors, but I wonder how much the very strong wind impacted us. We seemed to be playing more passes on the ground than usual, Wing especially.

I would have thought playing it on the ground would be better than aimless long balls down the flanks or up to a small striker being marked by 2 6 ft+ defenders. I don't think that's all Wing has got in his locker. Get him up the pitch to do some damage.

[windermereROYAL]

Do we have goal line technology in L1? because their shot that hit the bar looked awfully close to being over the line, the lino was in a perfect position right by the corner flag tbf.

[Snowflake Royal]

Do we have goal line technology in L1? because their shot that hit the bar looked awfully close to being over the line, the lino was in a perfect position right by the corner flag tbf.

It was certainly in use against Wrexham in the cup. At least according to the commentators

Apparently not in continual use in regular L1 games, though.

My first thought on watching it was in, second thought on replay was it wasn't. At the time I assumed because there was GLT vs Wrexham it would be in L1 games and just assumed it can't have been in because it wasn't given.

Watched the highlights on youtube at .25 speed and paused as it lands. It's not even remotely over the line. Looks on it at most maybe.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Do we have goal line technology in L1? because their shot that hit the bar looked awfully close to being over the line, the lino was in a perfect position right by the corner flag tbf.

Didn't look remotely over the line from our seats

[windermereROYAL]

Do we have goal line technology in L1? because their shot that hit the bar looked awfully close to being over the line, the lino was in a perfect position right by the corner flag tbf.

Didn't look remotely over the line from our seats

Check the sky highlights.

[Snowflake Royal]

Do we have goal line technology in L1? because their shot that hit the bar looked awfully close to being over the line, the lino was in a perfect position right by the corner flag tbf.

Didn't look remotely over the line from our seats

Check the sky highlights.

As I said, watched at .25 speed on youtube with a pause, it is nowhere near over the line.

[RoyalBlue]

Do we have goal line technology in L1? because their shot that hit the bar looked awfully close to being over the line, the lino was in a perfect position right by the corner flag tbf.

It was certainly in use against Wrexham in the cup. At least according to the commentators

Apparently not in continual use in regular L1 games, though.

My first thought on watching it was in, second thought on replay was it wasn't. At the time I assumed because there was GLT vs Wrexham it would be in L1 games and just assumed it can't have been in because it wasn't given.

Watched the highlights on youtube at .25 speed and paused as it lands. It's not even remotely over the line. Looks on it at most maybe.

Apparently the EFL in their wisdom (of which they display very little) have decreed that goal line technology is not to be used in L1 & L2 as not all clubs have it installed. Bizarrely they seem to think it would be unfair to use it at some grounds and not others! Surely it is an extension of the officiating team, is completely objective and doesn't favour a home team over an away team any more than having a referee does?!

Anyway, Nigel Clough was unhappy about the lack of goal line technology, even before yesterday's game, I imagine yesterday will have strengthened his view, even though the result of the technology it might have gone either way. I fully agree with his view.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68338210

[windermereROYAL]

I did notice the refs first reaction was to look at the lino, if there was the GLT he wouldn`t have needed to.

[RoyalBlue]

I did notice the refs first reaction was to look at the lino, if there was the GLT he wouldn`t have needed to.

I may have been imagining it but I thought he also looked at his wrist - as an EPL ref he may have forgotten that the technology didn't exist in this game!

[Royal_jimmy]

Do we have goal line technology in L1? because their shot that hit the bar looked awfully close to being over the line, the lino was in a perfect position right by the corner flag tbf.

Didn't look remotely over the line from our seats

We have goal line technology but we're not allowed to use it in league one. Which is stupid really as another poster said it doesn't give anyone an advantage and it makes it more likely that officials will miss a goal. Like the one at Wrexham away last season that wasn't given.

[South Coast Royal]

Having given great thought to the matter, in particular after the performance against not so long ago non-league Mansfield, my conclusion is , with 10 points from 10 games, we are just not very good whatever 11 is selected..

[Ascotexgunner]

Having given great thought to the matter, in particular after the performance against not so long ago non-league Mansfield, my conclusion is , with 10 points from 10 games, we are just not very good whatever 11 is selected..

Or maybe it's the way you play that best 11.

[AthleticoSpizz]

…..or when

[South Coast Royal]

Having given great thought to the matter, in particular after the performance against not so long ago non-league Mansfield, my conclusion is , with 10 points from 10 games, we are just not very good whatever 11 is selected..

Or maybe it's the way you play that best 11.

But what is our best 11?
Do we have one?

Apart from Pereira and Wing and , if he keeps it up Marriott, all the rest are much of a muchness IMHO so we have a squad that is big enough but the players are all of a similar moderate standard.
Whether a different manager could get more out of them who knows.

Can a manager get Big Kelvin to do more of the stuff that he only shows in snatches?
Can a manager get Savage back to last year's levels?
Can a manager get Ritchie fit enough to play more than 20 minutes?
Can a manager get the team playing to their strengths, whatever they are, as hoofing up to a little man or one who looks lost playing as central striker isn't good enough?
Can a manager just play Elliott and not look to play anyone else but him and in particular Fraser and Doyle who the manager has brought (presumably he is part of the process) to the club?
Can a manager get this team to defend as a unit?

10 points out of 10 league games isn't great-if it were to carry on in the same vein that gives us a total points total in or near the relegation places and at the moment being 9 points off the lowest play-off spot we would end the season some 41 points or so behind that position.
That obviously is taking the view that there will be no great improvement.
Some posters have suggested that there have been real signs of improvement but I don't see it.
We have only scored 11 goals and we create so few chances.

At the moment I have got a cold and feel quite miserable-yesterday's showing did nothing to lift my mood, or that of many other fans ,thus the rant but this is part of what this forum is about isn't it because nobody outside of us fans cares about the fortunes of RFC.

[Orion1871]

Anyone would think Ben Elliott is the second coming of Luka Modric the way people talk about him.

He doesn't get enough assists for a creative player and he needs to get in the gym as he's incredibly lightweight and this team is already pushed off the ball too easily.

That said I'd prefer he played as we can get money for him.

[Hound]

Yeah I don’t see anything that suggests we’re any better than about 12th place which is pretty disappointing after the enthusiasm post Dai

I don’t mind the league position in itself but I’d love for us to have the feeling that we are building something for the future - maybe we are but I’d like to see more academy players in, and less reliance on loans esp.

We seem to be bailed out by the experienced players like Marriott, Ritchie and Williams at the moment - again no real issue with this but it needs to come alongside bringing younger players through and them taking responsibility

As it is, I suspect we’ll lose Savage, Elliott, all the loans, possibly Abrefa, Sackey, and half the guys on the 1 year contract - Dorsett, Rushesha, Stickland etc in 6 months time

[WestYorksRoyal]

Yeah I don’t see anything that suggests we’re any better than about 12th place which is pretty disappointing after the enthusiasm post Dai

I don’t mind the league position in itself but I’d love for us to have the feeling that we are building something for the future - maybe we are but I’d like to see more academy players in, and less reliance on loans esp.

We seem to be bailed out by the experienced players like Marriott, Ritchie and Williams at the moment - again no real issue with this but it needs to come alongside bringing younger players through and them taking responsibility

As it is, I suspect we’ll lose Savage, Elliott, all the loans, possibly Abrefa, Sackey, and half the guys on the 1 year contract - Dorsett, Rushesha, Stickland etc in 6 months time

On paper, I'd say it's a top half squad, but agree our league position fully reflects performances on the pitch so far, and there is no evidence it's going to click and see us climb the table.

The one hope is if we can somehow get O'Connor and Williams fit at the same time, and they can bring the leadership and organisation we need. We seem to rely on moments in an attacking sense, but combine that with an organised defence and you'll do well. But most successful teams have a clear style and patterns of play to create chances, and we don't have that. Maybe if we did, we'd be looking for returning defenders to help us attack the top 6 and not simply climb into mid table.