The biggest indicator for Joey Barton as to what Bristol Rovers require to bridge the gap between mid-table in League One and the play-offs wasn’t necessarily what transpired on the field on Thursday night - although that was, of course, important - but more the atmosphere in the immediate aftermath.
Having fought back from 2-0 down to take a 3-2 lead, the Gas gifted victory to Exeter City with some questionable defensive decisions and a lack of nous to close the game out. As the players retired back to the dressing room and took their seats, there wasn’t enough noise being heard.
The levels of disappointment were palpable but, for the manager, he wanted that channelled through anger and audible frustration, not a sense of feeling sorry for themselves. An emotional reaction that was emblematic of aspects of their performance.
With the transfer window nearly upon Rovers, and Barton wanting to reinforce his defence, the primary attribute he’s searching for isn’t just what players can do with their feet but also how they use their heads and if they can bring a fresh voice of authority to the squad akin to those teams challenging higher up the table.
That is caveated by the degree of financial flexibility they may or may not have for the forthcoming window with little transfer money to play with in the terms of fees, and a wage bill that has dramatically increased since promotion. Barton has indicated there is some money to spend, and once again mentioned the backing of president Wael Al-Qadi. but some will need to leave to open up salary space plus they are allowed to make a further two loan signings.
However, they invariably lead to more young players who are developing their characters in the dressing room, as much as they are working on enhancing aspects of their game.
“I think we lack a level of aggression in our team that we need,” Barton said. “When you look at Wycombe, or even some of the more football-playing sides like Plymouth and Ipswich - they have a ruggedness and manliness about them. At this moment in time, I just think we slightly lack that.
“Just going into the dressing room after the game there’s one or two, your Sam Finleys and that, but there are a few lads who are a little bit quiet, a little bit tentative and if you want to be a successful winning team - you look at Fergie’s Manchester United, he was probably a referee most of the time in the dressing room keeping the lads from each other.
“I’m not saying I want to see lads going at it all the time but when you concede four goals in the manner that we have, you’re looking for a slightly different reaction.
“Now, I accept when you have a lot of young players, that’s a side of it. But we’ve got to find that balance.
“As I say, I’m one who wants to develop and coach players, mainly because buying a tried-and-tested 24/25-year-old, we can’t access to them - Ipswich might, because they’ve got a few quid - but most of the time you’re dealing in loans, free transfers etc, or kind of lower end fees, so you have to spin the wheel and take a chance.”
Rovers will undoubtedly be busy over the next month with the expectation that the Gas are targeting up to four new signings, along with a few departures, although the manager accepts that, just like last year, he may have to wait to land some of his key targets.
Rovers added four players in the winter window 12 months ago: Ryan Loft and James Connolly inside the first eight days and Elliot Anderson and Jon Nolan on the deadline.
Given the type of player and personality Barton was over his career, that absence of a certain attitude visibly irks the manager. He has a concept of what a footballer should be on the field and how they should behave as a professional.
His own management style, naturally, conforms to it - unafraid and unashamed in his ambition for Rovers, irrespective of how that may be viewed externally - but also with a dedication and a determination he wants to see replicated within his squad.
“The one thing I will guarantee the Gasheads is that I won't rest until I’ve given them a team that is capable of getting in the Championship, staying in the Championship and beyond that,” Barton added. “That’s why I’m here, that’s why I’m away from my missus and my kids. Leaving my kids on Christmas Day, crying, going, ‘Dad, where are you going?’ I’m going to get a promotion at Bristol Rovers again.
“(That's) the thing that keeps you awake at night, trying to find that ingredient.
"But also, the character of the lads - 2-0 down, bad day, and they get off the canvas and get themselves in a winning position. So we’ve got enormous character, it just needs channelling. The aggression and leadership needs encouraging out of some.
"Some might not have it, and if you haven’t got it, you can’t play for me, unfortunately. You can’t play in front of this passionate crowd and you can’t go to the levels of the game that we want to go to, unless you’ve got a real ruthless streak in you.
“And that’s not running around, smashing into people screaming and shouting. There are millions of those types of players out there. That’s Aaron Collins, second-half, ‘come on Azz, you’ve got to be better!’ [clicks fingers] Takes the game by the scruff of the neck, demanding the ball at key times.”
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