Why Bristol Rovers’ lack of consistency is pushing them towards relegation

Local TV Sport

Daniel Wales looks at the inconsistencies in Bristol Rovers’ performances.

Transcript

00:00Now the games are running out for Bristol Rovers.

00:04Obviously, it's not been the greatest of seasons for Calderon's men.

00:10And obviously, the output we've mentioned before,

00:12the output has not been anywhere near good enough.

00:14Goals scored, too many goals conceded, not enough runs anymore.

00:20Their last league win coming all the way back at the start of March.

00:24There's been so many losses in a row.

00:25So, you know, 1-1 draw away at Wrexham has been unbelievable for their confidence.

00:30But they do sit just above the relegation zone, you know,

00:35just like in the Championship as well.

00:37The battle to avoid relegation is massive.

00:40And what comes with the relegation to League 2,

00:43the golfing class between League 1 and League 2 is absolutely, you know,

00:46cannot be understated.

00:48Bristol Rovers just have not been good enough this season.

00:51And especially in this running as well, you know,

00:54they are just on the brink of survival.

00:57They need Burton Albion to also tail off.

00:59There's two games to go.

01:00It's a massive, massive occasion.

01:02You know, hosting Reading at home, 12.30 kickoff,

01:05and then they go to Blackpool on the final day.

01:08You do feel it's going to go down to the wire.

01:12It just hasn't been good enough.

01:13There's been those spells where they had a couple of wins on the bounce, etc.

01:16But if you look throughout their season, I mean, it's just a sea of red in terms of the losses.

01:22So many of them, you know, 25 losses in the league, only, you know,

01:28bottom place relegated Shrewsbury with the worst.

01:32So a mammoth task.

01:33Two games to go.

01:35It's looking likely that really, you know, obviously six points up for grabs,

01:39but it's between them and Burton Albion to be relegated to League 2.

01:43Daniel Wales has his thoughts.

01:45Dan, do you feel that Bristol Rovers have enough to survive in this season?

01:50And sort of where has it gone wrong?

01:51Because, you know, it's certainly not been a good outfit in terms of their entire campaign.

01:57Well, certainly, Charles, in recent weeks, it's been their inconsistency in terms of performance.

02:03They've picked up some OK results.

02:05For example, recently against Wrexham, a 1-1 draw,

02:08which is a, you know, a good point against the side challenging for promotion.

02:11But overall, they've just not shown that level in games, perhaps, against opposition

02:16who aren't as glamorous even or as even as good as Wrexham.

02:22I mean, against teams that are actually a bit closer to them in the table,

02:25they've really struggled.

02:26And that's a bit of a surprise because earlier on in the season,

02:28you know, they were picking up some good points.

02:30They've always had inconsistency this season,

02:32but certainly not to this extent in terms of their performance.

02:35And ultimately, it's led to the situation where they just haven't won in several,

02:39or several weeks now, and it's got them sat just inside the relegation zone.

02:43They are level with Burton Albion, having played a game more.

02:46So really, they have to win their final two or three games

02:49to have any chance of staying up.

02:54Whether they do that still remains to be seen.

02:56And you just have to think, where is that, even that one win coming from?

02:59Because, of course, they haven't shown enough at all of late

03:02to show that they have got it in the tank to get a win.

03:06So you do have to worry for Bristol Rovers

03:08because just where is that win coming from?

03:11It's a real shame because, of course, when Inigo Calderon first came in,

03:14yes, they had been struggling under Matt Taylor previously,

03:16but Calderon seemed to get them into shape a little bit

03:19towards the start of his tenure and some important wins.

03:23Bolton, for example, a 3-2 win at the Memorial Stadium

03:26was perhaps a highlight.

03:27But then it's just really, really tailed off

03:30and now he just can't seem to get a tune out of them.

03:34And it's perhaps a bit perplexing to him.

03:36And the players, you know, in their interviews,

03:38they say it's not good enough and we all need to show accountability.

03:41And I think they all understand that,

03:42and yet it's just not happening on the pitch.

03:44So whether it's the effort levels,

03:46whether it's just a lack of quality completely,

03:48although you could argue that the quality was there

03:50at certain points throughout the season.

03:53So where has it gone now?

03:54So therefore, is it effort levels?

03:55But then if it's effort levels,

03:58then, well, they wouldn't surely be saying these things

04:01because they know exactly that it is the effort

04:03that they're not showing.

04:04So it's a really hard one to fathom

04:05and Calderon just doesn't seem to have the answers at present

04:08and neither do the players on the pitch.

04:10So you have to worry for Bristol Rovers

04:13as to where this even just one win is coming from

04:16in these last few games that remain.

04:19They need something because the way it stands,

04:22they are behind Burton Albion on goal difference,

04:25having played the game more.

04:26So they will go down as things stand.

04:29So they need to find something.

04:30Where that comes from remains to be seen, as I say.

04:34Something just needs to give for them,

04:36perhaps even just a lucky goal.

04:38But it's not looking good for Bristol Rovers at present.

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