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Ipswich Town 3 v 0 Bristol Rovers
FA Cup
Sunday, 12th January 2025 Kick-off 15:00
Calderon: We Showed Town Too Much Respect
Sunday, 12th Jan 2025 21:19

Bristol Rovers boss Inigo Calderon felt his team showed the Blues too much respect as they were defeated 3-0 in the FA Cup third round at Portman Road and was critical of referee Oliver Langford for Jack Taylor’s goal, which looked offside, and the Blues’ second-half penalty, but admitted the officiating wasn’t why his team was beaten.

Goals in the first half from Kalvin Phillips, Jack Clarke and Taylor saw Town into the fourth round in which they will travel to face Championship Coventry City, now managed by Frank Lampard.

“I think the big thing was in the first half,” Calderon said at his press conference. “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 difference. That's why they play where they play and that's why we play where we play.

“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 game. 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.”

He added: “It's not just the goals. 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 that, it was even more complicated because when you are losing 2-0, 3-0 and you want to keep defending high up the pitch, 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 we are in the process, but at the same time, we are playing games and that can cost us.”

Calderon felt referee Langford and his assistants were wrong to allow Taylor’s goal and also to give the penalty, which Ali Al-Hamadi scuffed well wide, for handball against ex-Blues midfielder Grant Ward.

“It was offside or not? For me it was, but I don’t want to speak about the ref because I don’t think we lost because of him,” he said.

“I said from the first day that I don’t want to talk about the referees but every day something happens in our games, every single day.

“Even the penalty, for me it was not a penalty and some free-kicks, I said to the fourth [official], I don’t think they need help, I think they were better than us, much better than us, I don’t think they needed help.

“As I say, it’s when you’re the small club or the one playing in the lower division, but we didn’t lose because of the ref, that’s for sure.”


Regarding the penalty decision, he added: “For me, it was chest, chest, hand. But, from my side, I’m probably not objective.”


TWTD



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Cafe_Newman added 21:31 - Jan 12
Difficult to argue with any of that. Good luck to Rovers for the rest of the season.
16

Suffolkboy added 21:33 - Jan 12
What an honest and open assessment ; positive in analysis but humble in perspective .
COYB
15

TimmyH added 21:34 - Jan 12
Only watched the first half hour and have to agree I think they did show us too much respect...sat far too deep but also lost the ball very cheaply. Glad to be in the 4th round.
5

Saxonblue74 added 21:35 - Jan 12
"It's not easy to play on a pitch like this one"? Not sure I understand where he's coming from there? If they showed us "too much respect" then that's surely the fault of the manager and how he set them up?
-2

benslifeyt added 22:12 - Jan 12
100% agree . Never a pen and Taylor goal was so far offside
9

Westy added 02:41 - Jan 13
Jack Taylor was in an offside position but when the ball was played through it touched a Bristol Rovers' player which surely makes Taylor on-side. What an awful miss from the spot - have you ever seen anything like that in your life.
2

Cakeman added 07:21 - Jan 13
Excellent fair comments.
It is also refreshing to read of a Manager who accepts the opposition were better and did not blame the type of ball used.
5

Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 08:10 - Jan 13
Really nice interview and comments, he's sport on and was humble and gracious in defeat. Despite the obvious gap, some managers would have blamed the ref (who, in fairness, did give us a few calls). Calderon was a good player and I think he could have a nice future as a manager.
4

scooby added 08:19 - Jan 13
Very accurate from their manager and good points raised. Im guessing he means the width of our pitch. Also got to mention though the embarrassing officiating that yet again is proving that the lower the team in the game, the more likely you are to have decisions go against you. The fa need to have a real look at themselves as it is embarrassing. I understand officials make mistakes but the mistakes seem to be 95% against the lower level team.
4

Europablue added 09:06 - Jan 13
It really depends on whether their defender kicked it or it merely deflected off him. If he kicked it, it isn't offside, but if it was a deflection then it should be offside.
0

Jugsy added 10:37 - Jan 13
Spoke to some Rovers fans on the train back to Bristol - gave a very similar assessment. Good luck to them, he seems like a sound manager and they had a couple of tidy players.

We were never out of second gear for this one, a well managed performance.

Bit of a gripe, I seemed to be seated near some very vocal 'fans' berating Muric and also chundering about Al Hamadi. A quick word about that - does anyone think players are going to get better or build their confidence by having their own fans mock them? If you do, stay at home rather than go to games. Get behind the boys or don't bother going, the club and team doesn't need the negativity. Sorry for the rant - really wasn't impressed by it.
5

slobfeatures added 11:13 - Jan 13
Mark Brennan against Derby in 1986 Nearly hit the corner flag!
1

Alphawhiskey added 13:13 - Jan 13
They were pretty rubbish let's be honest.
0

scooby added 14:00 - Jan 13
Slob features. Yes i remember that. Was behind thegoal on the wall as a child. Worst penalty i have ever seen. Made yesterday's attempt seem quite decent lol.
1


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