Set-piece defending, Bristol Rovers propensity at conceding soon after the referee’s opening whistle, a lack of League One nous and know how, possession without penetration, budgetary limits and a flat January window; there were some very obvious flaws and reference points for Joey Barton to highlight as to why the Gas weren’t able to build on their encouraging first half of the 2022/23 season.
Many are linked. The first two (Rovers ranked 23rd for conceding from corners and free-kicks, and 45 per cent of all their goals conceded came between minutes 0-15 and 45-60) are perhaps a symptom of the third, while that, in turn, is a by-product of the fourth aspect. But identifying and moving towards addressing the problems is all well and good, the key for the Gas moving forward is finding the solutions to fix them.
That’s what the next six weeks and pre-season will provide Barton, his coaching staff and recruitment department as while this campaign may have been a necessary one, for the manager it was a deeply forgettable and, at times, frustrating nine months.
