[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[Rover_Shaun]

Jason Lowe is a very solid right back.

You are 17 days early. He's nothing of the sort

[rovers11]

Jason Lowe is a very solid right back. I think he'd make a good player there if given time, certainly don't see the point of bringing in anyone as Jones can be the ball winner in midfield.

I think the problem is we haven't got any midfielders. Dunn won't be able to play another 90 mins, we'll need to put peds back on the wing if Bentley, Olsson and King are out. That leaves us with just Jones in the centre who is able to play a full 90 mins.

[DE.]

Jason Lowe is a very solid right back. I think he'd make a good player there if given time, certainly don't see the point of bringing in anyone as Jones can be the ball winner in midfield.

The problem with Lowe at right back is that I think Appleton's preferred system would see the full-backs push forward and put crosses into the box. This requires a fair bit of skill & pace to get past a man, two attributes Lowe lacks. His main attributes are work-rate and energy, something he can't be faulted for. You can say the same about most of the youngsters that have been thrust into the team - they put the effort in, but lack the skill to create anything meaningful.

The only way I see Lowe being effective in our squad is to have him in a 3 in centre midfield. In a 2 he doesn't do enough. Appleton's style is not 4-5-1 though, or any variation, so I can see why he'd be looking for another right-back. I'm not sure he sees Lowe as a long-term option anywhere, though I imagine he'll continue to play him in midfield until better options are available and Murphy remains in the wilderness.

[bypass06]

A few posts on Facebook, Saying Todd Kane's coming back.

[MI ROVER]

“The next two games are going to be tough because they are against local rivals and on our own patch. We have to be brave.

“Sometimes where the fans might want the ball to go forward quicker, we have to be brave and patient and get the ball into wide areas before we get the ball into the box.

That'll be a first.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburn_rovers/news/10292417.Appleton___Derby_must_be_a_spark_for_Blackburn_Rovers_/?ref=twt

What is he talking about my confidence in Appleton is on the wane. He's setting us up to expect failure and the way I see it its the players who need to be patient and play football not mindless hoofball. Failure on Sunday and he has only 2 more pts then Berg over 10 league games which suggests for me its time for shebby to reappear with the bullets. Sixth manager anyone lets get Adkins

He said: “Some of the fans probably think it is more important to beat Burnley than it was to win on Wednesday night, that is a bit difficult to take. But I understand the fierce rivalry and I respect that.

Damn right we do get a grip Appleton - if wednesday was the bar for a performance to ensure progression in the cup then its league one all the way.

[koi]

“The next two games are going to be tough because they are against local rivals and on our own patch. We have to be brave.

“Sometimes where the fans might want the ball to go forward quicker, we have to be brave and patient and get the ball into wide areas before we get the ball into the box.

That'll be a first.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburn_rovers/news/10292417.Appleton___Derby_must_be_a_spark_for_Blackburn_Rovers_/?ref=twt

hahahahaha has he not watched the last few games?

[T4E]

He really thinks that the fans want the ball forward quicker?? So he's been serving up that utter @#/? the last few games cos he thought that's what we wanted?

Appleton gets more Kean-esque by the day.

[G Somerset Rover]

He really thinks that the fans want the ball forward quicker?? So he's been serving up that utter @#/? the last few games cos he thought that's what we wanted?

Appleton gets more Kean-esque by the day.

Certainly think our PR company may want a word in his ear. Quotes like "I told them not to lose the second half", "a better team would have got a hiding there" (we lost 3-0) and the latest guff about wanting the ball forward quicker (it's already zipped up at 90mph) are just riling the fans up.

[broadsword]

Maybe he needs to go back to being a binman.

[Rover_Shaun]

Certainly think our PR company may want a word in his ear. Quotes like "I told them not to lose the second half", "a better team would have got a hiding there" (we lost 3-0) and the latest guff about wanting the ball forward quicker (it's already zipped up at 90mph) are just riling the fans up.

Sod the PR company. Surley we need to know if the real Appleton is a plank????

[bypass06]

Kane returns to Rovers on loan

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburn_rovers/news/10293587.Kane_returns_to_Rovers_on_loan/

[LDRover]

Make or break on Sunday for Appleton. Lose this and he loses most of the fans, lose it with as clueless a performance as Wednesday and he will lose all the fans.

[USABlue]

Well indeed. Hamstrings being the latest problems.

He does sometimes judge his post-match remarks well, revealing that he has made a good assessment of just what's wrong at this club.

But although he might know what's wrong, it's an altogether different thing to put it right. And I don't think he can.

At the moment I can only see defeat to Burnley and that could set us off on a nightmare run resulting in relegation. I see nothing to suggest that he has the nous to prevent such a situation developing.

Makes me feel sick, we're sitting ducks.

A very good summation of my feelings Bryan.

[USABlue]

I still believe he will turn things around given time. As dreadful as the last few games have been, I'm not going to put too much stock into that. Players missing both games against Millwall; Robinson, Etuhu, Jones, Stewart, Campbell, CKR, Nunes. King and Bentley missed one and were unfit for the other. Henley and Orr went off injured in the first game and missed the other. Leon Best and Martin Olsson (who missed one game) weren't match fit.

You can still say that we were dire, and that the tactics weren't right, and you could very well be right. I just don't think you can read too much into the Millwall games when half the squad is missing. With Jones in midfield we already looked better. I want to see if we're still as dire with a mostly fit squad as well. If we are, then I think questions could be asked, but at this point we can't just make yet another managerial change this soon.

Good points, I do so hope you are right.

[Blue blood]

We want the ball forward quicker?!?!?! Kean, Berg, anyone else would've been crucified for such comments. On what basis is he stating that?

Firstly the ball can't get forward more quickly - we lump it up there at the first possible opportunity.

Secondly what most fans want, including myself, if for the ball to go from one player in blue and white halves to another player in blue and white halves. Whether that's over 5 yards or 50 I don't really care, as long as the passing is accurate and successful I'm happy. However our passing is neither.

[thenodrog]

I'm still awaiting the free flowing football that some of our lesser cerebral fans craved when they booed Allardyce out of the club. Obviously I know nowt cos all I see is much worse than anything I ever witnessed under Big Sam.

[adsfortheblues]

Sick of hearing appletons name now, his name and voice irritate me.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

Could the tactics board explain our current inability to find the opposition net???

[bypass06]

Appleton: Rovers must overcome fear of history

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/blackburn_rovers/news/10294025.Appleton__Rovers_must_overcome_fear_of_history/

[bypass06]

Think we need to get a new subs bench,

It seems you only have to sit on this one to get injured.

[Stuart]

Every time I read Appleton's comments at the moment, by brain translates it into a Scottish accent (Cumbernauld dialect).

[Paul]

"The Rovers boss though is confident several of his squad, the likes of David Dunn, Grant Hanley and Jason Lowe, know exactly how much is riding on the clash and believes they can inspire their team mates."

"“It is one of them where you filter that type of information to certain people in the dressing room rather than the whole squad. The people who have experienced it and are aware of the rivalry and others who are used to big games.”

I'd have thought Dunn and MGP are the ones who really know about it?

[patrickvalery]

"The Rovers boss though is confident several of his squad, the likes of David Dunn, Grant Hanley and Jason Lowe, know exactly how much is riding on the clash and believes they can inspire their team mates."

"“It is one of them where you filter that type of information to certain people in the dressing room rather than the whole squad. The people who have experienced it and are aware of the rivalry and others who are used to big games.”

I'd have thought Dunn and MGP are the ones who really know about it?

Does that not just highlight the dire straights we're in though Paul? Jason Lowe and Grant Hanley are our driving forces. Two kids FFS! MGP should be, as an experienced member of the squad, one of those pulling the side up by its bootstraps. But he is as fragile as the rest of the yellow bellied bunch. Christ, when he got punched by Joey Barton do you remember what he said? He said he'd take him out for dinner the next time he saw him! That is the fighting spirit that one has got!

[Parsonblue]

Think we need to get a new subs bench,

It seems you only have to sit on this one to get injured.

Or it could be they were injured in the Under-21 game at Fulham on Thursday when both players appeared.

[onlyonejackwalker]

"The Rovers boss though is confident several of his squad, the likes of David Dunn, Grant Hanley and Jason Lowe, know exactly how much is riding on the clash and believes they can inspire their team mates. Appleton, who added Chelsea full back Todd Kane to the club for a second spell on loan ahead of the game, said: “It is a Catch 22 situation, you have to have the right type of players and characters in the dressing room to come out with statements like that.

“If you feel comfortable you have the players that can handle that then great, to me that would drive me on to make sure it didn’t happen. “But I might have a few personalities in that dressing room where I give them that information and they go completely into their shell. “It is one of them where you filter that type of information to certain people in the dressing room rather than the whole squad. The people who have experienced it and are aware of the rivalry and others who are used to big games.”

These comments are concerning. Sounds like a right load of old tosh to me. Disseminating information to certain players in the hope they inspire their team-mates? Whispering in corners, but in the meantime I will do a press release they can ALL read?

Go into their shells? Normally you would think he means the younger less experienced players, but Hanley and Lowe are described as the leaders? Who does he mean? 8 million squid Rhodes? 6 million captain Dann? International's Ollsson and MGP? Tottenham's and England's Bentley? Former PL players Murphy, Best or Campbell? Wigan's Jones?

I don't get it, as most of these lads have played in a lot of big games throught their careers.