[Archived] Paul's Progress

[bellamy11]

Ah that old chestnut. Well played, sir. Well played.

[CrazyIvan]

This is getting silly- I have my sources and I am not going any further.

Oh, come on! You can't use that again. So you're saying 'don't argue with me because I know more than you do' without providing any kind of proof? It's the thinnest of arguments and it's getting thinner every time you use it.

[philipl]

Oh, come on! You can't use that again. So you're saying 'don't argue with me because I know more than you do' without providing any kind of proof? It's the thinnest of arguments and it's getting thinner every time you use it.

I cannot see any proof from you either come to think of it.

[CrazyIvan]

I cannot see any proof from you either come to think of it.

I'm not the one trying to assert things that are not based in fact. My argument is and has been that nothing you have said is actually based on any evidence apart from dodgy websites and your own opinion. Nice try at deflecting by the way.

[philipl]

Let's give it a rest shall we?

[CrazyIvan]

Let's give it a rest shall we?

Not until you either backtrack on 'desperately' or you provide us with proof.

[philipl]

Not until you either backtrack on 'desperately' or you provide us with proof.

Not going to do either and if you really have the best interests of Paul Ince at heart you will stop pushing.

[CrazyIvan]

Not going to do either and if you really have the best interests of Paul Ince at heart you will stop pushing.

What the hell does that mean? You are sounding quite ridiculous now.

[philipl]

OK go ahead- I'll leave the last word with you.

[Walls]

One of the reservations I had when Ince was appointed (nothing to do with the actual appointment but more to do with what we had under Hughes) was that I was worried that we would be significantly weakened by the loss of the meticulous approach to preparing the players that we were led to believe we had under Hughes. On Wednesday, I arrived at Villa Park nice and early and actually watched the players warming up and I was pleasantly supplied by what I saw. No doubt it has been the same all season but each of the separate positions had their own warm up programs tailored to what they would have to do during the game. The defenders were on their own in the corner working on heading and volleying clearances, while the strikers were practicing finishing with Robinson in goal and the midfielders were off doing something else.

I'm not saying this is absolutely groundbreaking stuff but I have never noticed this approach before either by Rovers or anybody else. If its an illustration of what goes on behind the scenes then I'm not a worried as I was and shows Ince (or the staff appointed by him) is not as thick as some would like us to think.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

We noticed that as well. After watching for a few games you can see how they in a single kick, run forwards to play the offside together, one shouts and then somebody moves back a little in case they miss the ball and one goes a little in front in case the ball isn't properly cleared.

[Amo]

And yet we're still shipping goals like nobody's business.

[thenodrog]

Here's an article regarding Portsmouth. We don't get a mention but talks about Adams taking over; Portsmouth changes. I think it relates well to our situation.

Superb if somewhat fatalistic article that should be compulsory reading for all BRFC supporters at least twice a season.

So many members on here cannot rem the dark days of the 70's and 80's and see our place in the Prem each season as a gimme.

Can anyone come up with an example of a Premiership club with an excellent manager

McClaren to Southgate at Boro (took a while...)

[philipl]

I guess Lawro had just read that article when he wrote the preview for the WBA v Rovers game!

[imy9]

And yet we're still shipping goals like nobody's business.

Before the last game we conceded 4 goals in 6 games, a big improvement from previous games.

I have chosen not to post for a few days to get a better perspective on our situation and simply read others posts.

I am concerned about the lack of goals but am very optomistic for the rest of the season. I can appreciate the concerns (which I have also) that we may get dragged into a relegation battle, lower league position than previous seasons but I think it is imperative that we as a club unite and back the current regime and team, that is not to say that justified criticism is not allowed (this may have previously come across that I was advocating a lack of criticism, this is not the case, it should be encouraged, it is our right as fans to question), however I am concerned that there is a similar situation on this board after a victory/defeat, which is unfair on the current regime.

I think PI has done a decent job so far and the way that we have played at times this season is very encouraging. However we need to be grittier and get stuck in more as playing good football (as numerous people have said already) does not necessarily yield 3 points.

I hope that we are in a strong position in January to purchase a couple of top class wingers and a striker to push us into a top 10 finish.

[Amo]

Before the last game we conceded 4 goals in 6 games, a big improvement from previous games.

We've still got a worse goal difference than the bottom four teams, so things are far from dandy. We only kept clean sheets against Bolton & Fulham, right? The two lowest scorers in the league.

[imy9]

We've still got a worse goal difference than the bottom four teams, so things are far from dandy. We only kept clean sheets against Bolton & Fulham, right? The two lowest scorers in the league.

I agree with what you have said, I merely made the point that the last 6 games have been a big improvement on previous games, showing hopefully an upward trend to get better rather than one to go down.

[Majiball]

Superb if somewhat fatalistic article that should be compulsory reading for all BRFC supporters at least twice a season.

So many members on here cannot rem the dark days of the 70's and 80's and see our place in the Prem each season as a gimme.

How true. every year I wait for us to get 40 points and then see whats still on.

Before the last game we conceded 4 goals in 6 games, a big improvement from previous games.

I have chosen not to post for a few days to get a better perspective on our situation and simply read others posts.

I am concerned about the lack of goals but am very optomistic for the rest of the season. I can appreciate the concerns (which I have also) that we may get dragged into a relegation battle, lower league position than previous seasons but I think it is imperative that we as a club unite and back the current regime and team, that is not to say that justified criticism is not allowed (this may have previously come across that I was advocating a lack of criticism, this is not the case, it should be encouraged, it is our right as fans to question), however I am concerned that there is a similar situation on this board after a victory/defeat, which is unfair on the current regime.

I think PI has done a decent job so far and the way that we have played at times this season is very encouraging. However we need to be grittier and get stuck in more as playing good football (as numerous people have said already) does not necessarily yield 3 points.

I hope that we are in a strong position in January to purchase a couple of top class wingers and a striker to push us into a top 10 finish.

I'm pleased to see us playing good pass N move football, football should be played this way. However we are not creating enough clear cut chances from our possession. This area gives me some concern especially now RSC is out, but hopefully this will be the end of his injury niggles. We need to get better movement going up front. When it comes to defending we are a little of the pace, For this I would like to see us adopt the ball defence method thats introducing itself into the game nowadays, it seems to benefit teams that play attacking football (watch Chelsea).

It will take time, not weeks but months for the rap-or in our new style to be built up, once the players are on the same wavelength it should click. Lots of new idea's will be floating around on our training pitch at the moment from Ince, Winterburn et al, it will take time for them to settle.

We have some good history in the prem of teams that play doing well. I do want to see a more settled side with all the positional changes on top of the new system's we will make mistakes and these need to be limited at our level.

[T4E]

Winterburn is on Soccer AM - I've only just put it on, have Rovers had a mention yet?

[Ozz]

Slow burner?

Slow brain!

[CrazyIvan]

Having just read that Portsmouth Changes article it does indeed relate well to Rovers and shows how well the club did in appointing Hughes after Souness. It highlights how you can't take this 'overachievement' by Rovers for granted and the way a change in management affects the players and the club.

The one thing that occurs to me is that you can't limit this to just Leicester, Southampton, Charlton and Porsmouth but you need to include the likes of Wimbledon and Coventry City. The one thing that a lot of these clubs had were managers who could engender a sense of 'spirit' in the team. Take a look at Wimbledon and the Crazy Gang as the typical example. No team overachieved more than that one and a lot of it was down to the spirit in the side. Souness did it with Rovers, you could see that during the promotion season and the following cup winning season. Hughes did it when we were down near the bottom of the league and kept the club up. It's Ince's job to instill that same spirit now.

His credentials on that score are very good, keeping Macc Town up when they were down and out, getting MK Dons promoted and winning a cup with them in one season. Signs are there that the spirit in the team is good, Everton away for example, and it's been commented on by the players a number of times. I wonder whether both Hughes and Souness had lost that spirit before they left? Souness definitely did but he had a remarkable way of getting it back, I doubt he could have the last time around though. Hughes? I don't know but the last day capitulation didn't suggest anything good. Having said that the way they played against Untited weeks earlier suggests otherwise. Who knows? Certainly, Ince has to keep a sense of spirit in this team and maintain it. Nothing can be taken for granted in this game.

[LDRover]

Having just read that Portsmouth Changes article it does indeed relate well to Rovers and shows how well the club did in appointing Hughes after Souness. It highlights how you can't take this 'overachievement' by Rovers for granted and the way a change in management affects the players and the club.

The one thing that occurs to me is that you can't limit this to just Leicester, Southampton, Charlton and Porsmouth but you need to include the likes of Wimbledon and Coventry City. The one thing that a lot of these clubs had were managers who could engender a sense of 'spirit' in the team. Take a look at Wimbledon and the Crazy Gang as the typical example. No team overachieved more than that one and a lot of it was down to the spirit in the side. Souness did it with Rovers, you could see that during the promotion season and the following cup winning season. Hughes did it when we were down near the bottom of the league and kept the club up. It's Ince's job to instill that same spirit now.

His credentials on that score are very good, keeping Macc Town up when they were down and out, getting MK Dons promoted and winning a cup with them in one season. Signs are there that the spirit in the team is good, Everton away for example, and it's been commented on by the players a number of times. I wonder whether both Hughes and Souness had lost that spirit before they left? Souness definitely did but he had a remarkable way of getting it back, I doubt he could have the last time around though. Hughes? I don't know but the last day capitulation didn't suggest anything good. Having said that the way they played against Untited weeks earlier suggests otherwise. Who knows? Certainly, Ince has to keep a sense of spirit in this team and maintain it. Nothing can be taken for granted in this game.

I think that's pretty much spot on.

Furthermore, there's nothing that gets supporters onside more than good old fashioned spirit and application and in the current situation that cannot be under-estimated.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Furthermore, there's nothing that gets supporters onside more than good old fashioned spirit and application and in the current situation that cannot be under-estimated.

I think we saw that on Weds, but we need to see it even more so today.

Having said that, it hasn't done Andrews much good in getting suppoters on his side

[cn_barlow]

I think we saw that on Weds, but we need to see it even more so today.

Having said that, it hasn't done Andrews much good in getting suppoters on his side

True. His performances have really changed my opinion on him though. I think he could be a very important player for us this season (never thought i'd say that!). Got a feeling that once he gets his first goal then he'll really kick on

[thenodrog]

Winterburn is on Soccer AM - I've only just put it on, have Rovers had a mention yet?

Saw him on TV yeterday and he was only talking about Arsenal letting 4 in.

I may be wrong but we won the Prem without a defensive coach I think.