Pundit Don Goodman has noted Bristol Rovers’ impressive start to the League One season but is cautious about their prospects for a play-off challenge, citing the competitive nature of the division.
Bristol Rovers had a disappointing conclusion to last season, winning only two of their last 11 matches and finishing 15th. Despite some fan pressure, manager Matt Taylor has retained his position at the Memorial Stadium.
Taylor received strong backing from the board during the summer transfer window, bringing in 16 new players. However, the club also saw several departures, including James Connolly, Luca Hoole, Sam Finley, Jordan Rossiter, Antony Evans, and John Marquis.
| Bristol Rovers summer signings | ||
| Player | From | Loan/Permanent |
| Josh Griffiths | West Bromwich Albion | Loan |
| Joel Senior | Morecambe | Permanent |
| Dan Ellison | Chippenham Town | Permanent |
| Taylor Moore | Valenciennes | Permanent |
| Michael Forbes | West Ham United | Loan |
| Bryant Bilongo | Middlesbrough | Permanent |
| Clinton Mola | Reading | Permanent |
| Lino Sousa | Aston Villa | Loan |
| Jamie Lindsay | Rotherham United | Permanent |
| Jake Garrett | Blackburn Rovers | Loan |
| Isaac Hutchinson | Walsall | Permanent |
| Promise Omochere | Fleetwood Town | Permanent |
| Micah Anthony | Queens Park Rangers | Permanent |
| Ruel Sotiriou | Leyton Orient | Permanent |
| Shaq Forde | Watford | Permanent |
| Gatlin O’Donkor | Oxford United | Loan |
Bristol Rovers faced their second defeat of the season with a 2-1 loss to Barnsley at Oakwell on Saturday. Despite this result, Matt Taylor’s side has had a strong start to the season, sitting ninth in the table with seven points from their first five games.
Don Goodman, who commented before the Barnsley match, suggested that Bristol Rovers could challenge for the play-offs if they improve their attacking capabilities. However, he noted the difficulty of reaching the top six due to the high standard of teams in the division.
Goodman commended Taylor for a successful pre-season and highlighted the team’s progress, including victories in both home games and three clean sheets from five matches, aided by the addition of Josh Griffiths from West Bromwich Albion. Nevertheless, Goodman observed a lack of creativity in the team and stressed the importance of balancing solid defense with effective attack, given that Bristol Rovers has scored only three goals from a low XG of 3.4.
He recognized the club’s ambition and enthusiastic support, suggesting that while breaking into the top six will be challenging due to the competitive nature of League One, staying in the top half of the table could keep them in the mix for the play-offs. Goodman advised taking a step-by-step approach.
Lack of goals could be costly for Bristol Rovers this season
Goodman is correct that Rovers’ attacking struggles could pose a significant problem this season.
The team endured a club-record streak of seven games without scoring towards the end of last season, and with only four goals in their first five games this campaign, it appears these issues persist.
Although Rovers have some promising attacking players like Promise Omochere, Ruel Sotiriou, and Luke Thomas, they lack a consistent goalscorer. The absence of Chris Martin, who was the club’s leading scorer with 16 goals last season and is now sidelined with a broken leg, is a major setback.
Competing financially with the top teams in League One is challenging for Rovers, and given the strength of the division, it seems unlikely they will secure a spot in the play-offs.
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