Bristol Rovers fans’ panel by Jeff Bolitho (From Gazette Series)

Bristol Rovers fans’ panel by Jeff Bolitho

10:56am Thursday 4th February 2010 in

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TWO wretched performances and a lack of activity in the transfer market left Rovers fans feeling a deep sense of frustration this week.

The need for a new striker and other fresh faces was obvious on Saturday as a lacklustre display ensured our lowly visitors Wycombe Wanderers left with the points.

Having won five home games in a row, you would have expected the Pirates to be brimming with confidence and eager to put the opposition under pressure from the first whistle.

However, it looked more like they had lost the last five as they were slow to the ball and incapable of mustering the energy required to match the Chairboys’ commitment.

We were all keen to see what Monday, the day when the transfer deadline closed, would bring. So all Gasheads were alarmed and bewildered to discover that not only was no new striker signed, but our centre forward Duffy was allowed to go on loan to Carlisle, leaving us with only two recognised strikers.

We expected director of football Lennie Lawrence to use his network of contacts and experience in the game to secure the services of some talented players, but that has failed to happen. Allowing Duffy to leave when we hadn’t secured the services of a replacement was inexcusable and previous assurances from the board and management that we are chasing a play-off spot now appear to sound a little hollow.

If the week wasn’t bad enough a humiliating 5-0 defeat at Leyton Orient on Tuesday night compounded the misery, suggesting morale in the camp has slumped because of the lack of ambition shown in the transfer market. However, they still need to earn their money by putting in the required effort and that has not been the case this week.

We now face a double header against Walsall and a big improvement will be needed if we are to halt this alarming slide. Although a sense of perspective needs to be maintained as we are still ninth in League One, urgent action is needed in the loan market next week to prevent a feeling of disillusionment from spreading.

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