[Archived] Rovers vs Forest - match thread

[Blue blood]

Great result - again showing that we have the nucleus of a decent team in this division that should be able to hold it's own.

Great to see Peds back in the set-up - think he's been unlucky not to feature more at this level and has done well for us in the Championship. Good too to see Rhodes and Rochina on the score sheet. I wonder if there is millage in the two as a long term combination for us? (IMO for this to happen we'd need to drastically revamp the midfield to play to their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses.) Still good to see them in form regardless.

Personally I suspect having Shabby, Agnew and Shaw all occupied to some degree with choosing a new manager has allowed the team and coaches to get on with things. Yet more evidence that we should get rid of the lot and let football people sort out the football.

Still think we need to sort out the managerial situation as the terrible trio will be back and using us an arena for a power struggle soon. Needs a strong head to get us through that.

[Blue Cabbage]

Think confidence has taken a huge hit over the last two years (well, no "think" about it), winning breeds it and a decent manager instills it.

It's not THAT hard is it really...?

[philipl]

Great post blue blood.

[Tugay-is-God]

Great result - again showing that we have the nucleus of a decent team in this division that should be able to hold it's own.

Great to see Peds back in the set-up - think he's been unlucky not to feature more at this level and has done well for us in the Championship. Good too to see Rhodes and Rochina on the score sheet. I wonder if there is millage in the two as a long term combination for us? (IMO for this to happen we'd need to drastically revamp the midfield to play to their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses.) Still good to see them in form regardless.

Personally I suspect having Shabby, Agnew and Shaw all occupied to some degree with choosing a new manager has allowed the team and coaches to get on with things. Yet more evidence that we should get rid of the lot and let football people sort out the football.

Still think we need to sort out the managerial situation as the terrible trio will be back and using us an arena for a power struggle soon. Needs a strong head to get us through that.

You're bang on there Blue blood, agree 100%.

Any sort of half decent set up at Ewood would see us at least comfortably in the play off spots.

[Steve Moss]

Personally I suspect having Shabby, Agnew and Shaw all occupied to some degree with choosing a new manager has allowed the team and coaches to get on with things. Yet more evidence that we should get rid of the lot and let football people sort out the football.

Still think we need to sort out the managerial situation as the terrible trio will be back and using us an arena for a power struggle soon. Needs a strong head to get us through that.

Great post. I agree 100%. The question is will Venkys see what appears to us as clear as day? My suspicion is not, which begs the question why?

[Majiball]

You have to ask what Berg was doing so wrong?

Berg, Black, Mimms and Brunskill. strange we start playing well when a completely new staff start controlling things.

[Mike Graham]

Berg, Black, Mimms and Brunskill. strange we start playing well when a completely new staff start controlling things.

Was that Wally Hendry in the dugout today?

[punerover]

Match report someone ?

[Majiball]

Not got a Scooby Preston, I wonder who is actually taking training and the dugout? People in on temp basis ala Mellon at Barnsley with Flicker? Or maybe Mcphilips?

Either way I don't have issue with Hendry even after all that's gone on.

[Hasta]

Just back in and a great win and welcome 3 points. Not taking anything away from the win but Forest looked another poor side in this division who couldn't pass and constantly put the ball out of play for no reason.

The one thing that did impress me today was Bowyer had the players closing down all over the pitch. Not exactly rocket science but it's amazing what putting a bit of pressure on average players does to them. We seemed to hunt the ball down a lot quicker, not only from the players in the centre of the pitch but the wide players too.

Rochina played well but can still frustrate. If someone can ever get him learn when to play the simple ball and when to play the show-pony ball they would have a real player on their hands. I also thought King and Ollson combined well down the left. Shame that King is probably leaving as he's a better, more direct wide player than CKR on the other side who played OK, took his goal well but shouldn't have been man of the match,

Another plus was Kean in goal who has come in under difficult circumstances but was faultless today. Brave, commanding and a great reflex save.

[Stuart]

Really enjoyed today. For the first time in a long time it looked like everyone wanted the ball and had the desire to win it back. Very heartening to see. We got stronger as the game went on.

A bit of earned luck for Rochina's goal following great runs from himself and King. Add to that an immense save from Jake Kean (my MoM btw) at 1-0 to keep us ahead.

Shouted myself hoarse at the cynical Andy Reid doing his best to (and succeededin) engineering a booking for Rovers.

Had to laugh at one of the Forest players complaining to the ref that Kean was time-wasting in the last minute of injury time (at 3-0 down).

All in all very happy walking up Bolton Rd in the rain.

[bigbrandjohn]

Great result - again showing that we have the nucleus of a decent team in this division that should be able to hold it's own.

Great to see Peds back in the set-up - think he's been unlucky not to feature more at this level and has done well for us in the Championship. Good too to see Rhodes and Rochina on the score sheet. I wonder if there is millage in the two as a long term combination for us? (IMO for this to happen we'd need to drastically revamp the midfield to play to their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses.) Still good to see them in form regardless.

Personally I suspect having Shabby, Agnew and Shaw all occupied to some degree with choosing a new manager has allowed the team and coaches to get on with things. Yet more evidence that we should get rid of the lot and let football people sort out the football.

Still think we need to sort out the managerial situation as the terrible trio will be back and using us an arena for a power struggle soon. Needs a strong head to get us through that.

+1

[MrT]

Great result today....good way to start the new year

Gary Bowyer seems to have galvanized the squad.

[The Prof.]

A great win - truly under the circumstances.

It makes you wonder if we had just had a 'normal' manager over the past too tears where we'd be - I suspect we'd still have gone down due to the players we lost.

BUT would we have lost them with a normal manager?

[Hasta]

A great win - truly under the circumstances.

It makes you wonder if we had just had a 'normal' manager over the past too tears where we'd be - I suspect we'd still have gone down due to the players we lost.

BUT would we have lost them with a normal manager?

I would imagine we may have stopped up last year under a normal manager. You know, one that wouldn't have chose to put MGP as full back up against the lightening Odemwingie.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Half ST paid for itself today lol not getting too carried away. V poor first half if truth be told, and no better than the other home games I've been to this season. What we got was that bit of luck right at the beginning of the second half - Rochina, great run, but overran the ball allowing defender to get it. 9 times out of 10 would have gone into our half, but he hit it against Rubin's knee and it rebounded into the corner of the net.

After that we were a different team. Rochina I presume was injured and for 10 minutes Peds couldn't buy a touch, but when he did it was like old times - he dashed half the length of the pitch to collect a return pass and put it into the box where JR did the rest. Rhodes is magnificent in the penalty area and its galling we don't play to his strengths as we know. He dispatched it expertly.

CKR exquisite shot from the edge of the area was icing on the cake.

Murphy was average again today but did clear off the line, when if Forest had scored, would have made for a squeaky 10 minutes.

Jake Kean looked assured and pulled off one point blank save to keep us one up.

All in all some positives, and I think the three S's absence was a factor, but:

We still need a tried and tested manager, who takes no prisoners, and no crap from above.

There is life in this team yet, COYB'S!

[pick32]

Another positive only three players were over 25 in today's starting eleven and only one player over the age of 26.

[cwspellowe]

Just seen the goals on SSN,

Rochina's was more than fortunate, great strike if it was on purpose but blatantly a lucky ricochet!

Rhodes' goal.. good finish from a tight angle, showing his class when he can put half chances like that away. Tight angle squeezed past the defender and keeper, with another defender on the line.

CKR - first time effort from outside the box and the kind of strike we seem to have forgotten about as a team. Polar opposite to SK's "penetrate the box 35 times" of last season.

[OJRovers]

15,490 the 'attendance'

[Proudtobeblue&white]

No way attendance was that high - JW had 2,000, if that, 3,500 in DE (2,500 away), 3,000 in WS, probably 4,500/5,000 in BE

[ABBEY]

first half was a snoozefest but there must have been some real speeches made at half time as the second saw passion,commitment and a will to win.Jake (cant say his surname ) looks a good prospect. Good to see him interacting with the BBE though. It still hasnt persuaded me for saturday.

[USABlue]

It's like the wonder days of Eric Black all over again.

Did we score three two games in a row with Black.

No way we'll keep a clean sheet so let's snatch another.

You were saying.

Does make you wonder...

That very same thought crossed my mind.

[jim mk2]

Did we score three two games in a row with Black.

No but it's the first time we've had back to back wins since Black was in charge. Bowyer and Black the managerial dream team.

[Stuart]

Jake (cant say his surname ) looks a good prospect.

Love it, Abbey.

We should get a campaign going for him to change his name on his shirt to "Jake".

Or maybe we just have to let it go.

JK can be Rovers' catharsis!

[blueboy3333]

Well that's put to bed the tin-pot theory that the players aren't good enough for this division. They just need organising and motivating. Berg and Kean were usless at that. Well done Gary Bowyer.

Please please please, a sensible managerial appointment. 6th place is not out of the question with the attacking options we have. Rhodes, CKR, Rochina, Vukc and King should be the envy of every manager in this league. The defenders aren't bad either IF organised.