Matt Taylor has labelled Bristol Rovers’ first half performance away at Swindon Town as one of the most embarrassed momements of a team he’s had as the Gas shipped four goals to a much-changed League Two side in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy, losing 4-0.
The Rovers boss made nine changes from Saturday’s 3-1 win at Burton Albion in League One but still individuals such as Luke Thomas, Taylor Moore and Connor Taylor in the starting line up while all 10 outfield players have started at least one league game this season.
Although the game came in a competition that many supporters express little care for, the first half performance and eventual result will go down as one of the poorest moments produced by a Gas side for some time and Taylor certainly felt it was up there in regards to his managerial career.
“Worse than miserable,” the Gas manager exclaimed post-match. “I think it’s probably the most embarrassed I’ve been of a team in that first half. Just the way we went about our work. Wasn’t to the desired level, the acceptable level, a professional level. But, as difficult as tonight was, also a bit more clarity and hopefully a bit more clarity for the watching world that the squad probably isn’t quite where people think it is and the players aren’t quite where we need them to be. Collectively, tonight we were second best.”
Rovers enjoyed a positive week last week with back-to-back league victories over Charlton Athletic and Burton Albion with pressure growing on Taylor on the back of four consecutive defeats.
The 42-year-old was met with some frustrated words from travelling supporters at full-time but had strong words to say about the players involved against Swindon with a significant number of changes made.
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“I’m getting stick and I will get stick because fans will always give the manager stick,” Taylor added. “Who do you put on the pitch as a manager? And not many of those players tonight said pick me in the next league game.
“I think that’s a fair assessment of the game. I can go into all the detail of the world in terms of individual players and performances and opportunity X,Y,Z. The game always tells the truth.
“People were saying the manager’s opinion, the manager not giving you an opportunity. That game told a lot of people the truth tonight.
“Let’s be honest, we can’t just carry people through seasons. Some are in a lucky position to train with us, let alone be with us, football club. It’s got to mean more than it did to them tonight. They’re young. They don’t quite know what the game really stands for as yet. And I certainly felt like that tonight in terms of where a lot of them were, but they’ll quickly learn, I’m afraid.”
Rovers now head into a 10-day break before heading to Huddersfield Town in the league on October 19 and after Tuesday night’s display it seems as though Taylor will have a much clearer idea of the players he’ll want in his starting line up and squad.