Inigo Calderon has rued his Bristol Rovers team’s first half performance against Premier League side Ipswich Town as they exited the FA Cup at the third round stage after a 3-0 defeat at Portman Road on Sunday.
All three goals were conceded in the first half and were all avoidable as Ipswich cruised to a comfortable victory. England player of the year for 2020/21 Kalvin Phillips broke the deadlock with a strike from distance before a mistake from Lino Sousa ended up with Jack Clarke tapping home into an empty net after a good challenge from Connor Taylor on Ali Al-Hamadi saw the ball rebound into the winger’s path.
Despite a passive display from Rovers, the Tractor Boys’ third should not have stood with Jack Taylor clearly offside with VAR not in place until the fifth round of the competition.
Calderon’s team showed more bravery in the second half but it was still a comfortable victory for their top-flight hosts who, less than two years ago, drew 0-0 at the Mem in a League One fixture.
“I think the big thing was in the first half,” the Gas head coach reflected post-match, speaking Bristol Live. “I don’t think we started well enough. I think we showed them too much respect. I don’t think we were good defensively, especially when you want to try to defend high up the pitch, you have to do everything perfect and when we had the ball, we couldn’t keep it at all.
“So I think it was coming in the first 15 minutes. You could see that the goal was coming and we couldn’t stop that and listen, there is the, the difference. That’s why they play where they play and that’s why we play where we play and we knew that we had to do everything perfectly to have a chance to win it and I don’t think we did in the first half especially.
“It’s true in the second half that I think we improved. I think we were improving during the game but as I say, I think that’s the price when you play a different style of games. Last game we played Cambridge away, that was a completely different to this game and we have to adapt and we have to learn during the game and that’s not the best thing.”
The most frustrating aspect of the defeat for Rovers will be how soft the goals they conceded were alongside the fact that they seriously struggled to retain and keep the ball against an Ipswich side that were clearly head and shoulders above in quality despite 10 changes from their 2-2 draw at Fulham last time out.
Bristol Rovers Live on Whatsapp
Join Bristol Rovers Live’s Whatsapp community for all the biggest Bristol Rovers stories sent straight to your phone
Bristol Rovers Live is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.
Through the app, we’ll send the Bristol Rovers news, live match coverage, team news, transfers, fixtures, analysis and more straight to your phone.
To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select ‘Join Community’.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live team.
We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.
To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
A long-range strike which could have arguably been closed down more efficiently, an unmarked tap-in and an offside strike that shouldn’t have stood are all goals that wouldn’t have looked out of place at League One level.
“It’s not just the goals,” Calderon added. “It was the feeling that it was coming and we couldn’t stop that. Without the ball, as I say, with the ball, we couldn’t hold it. So we were disappointed.
“I insist, I have to understand the players. It’s not easy to play on a pitch like this one because against really good players, especially the way they play, it asks you a lot of questions and you have to answer very well and I don’t think we answered the questions they asked well.
“After it was even more complicated because when you are losing 2-0, 3-0 and you want to keep defending high up the pitch that, you know, it’s a price that you can pay if you make a mistake.
“So credit to the boys that they kept trying to do things right and for me, that was the most positive thing. I think we kept trying and I think we improved during the game. But for me, as I say, we are in the process. But at the same time, we are playing games and that can cost us.”